Closer than Close
by I-Adore-Wuv-Stories
Summary: Five years after that eventful day, Megumi and Yahiro are close friends, but Yahiro still claims that he doesn’t have any love feelings for anyone. Megumi starts wondering about the relationship that she shares with him.
1. Close but Not Close At All

Closer than Close

Summary: Five years after that eventful day, Megumi and Yahiro are close friends, but Yahiro still claims that he doesn't have any love feelings for anyone. Megumi starts wondering about the relationship that she shares with him.

Disclaimer: I don't own S.A. and I don't own any butter sticks either, D: my refrigerator is empty.

_Flashback_

'_Megumi's Writing_'

* * *

"Congratulations!" or "Good luck!" those words could be heard from every person in the garden. If it wasn't those words that were heard then it was cheering and people clapping. There were no more than fifteen people there and no less than three. It was an averaged sized party, but it would make sense because it was a private celebration party.

"Akira looks very happy," Jun commented to Megumi. They both watched Akira smiling and blushing very furiously when people started chanting, "Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!"

'_So does Tadashi_' Megumi replied back using her magic board. She was very happy for Akira and Tadashi, her two special S.A. friends that she loved very much. Megumi had already given her congratulatory gift to Akira earlier and sang a song dedicated to both Akira and Tadashi. Now the couple have given the official announcement and showed to everyone the proof.

"Yay!" Sakura and Hikari cheered the loudest as Tadashi gave a light peck to Akira's cheek. He fulfilled the wishes of the crowd and sent everyone cheering and hooting wildly. Hikari patted Akira on the back and laughed heartedly about how it is a good thing cooties don't exist anymore.

"Mou!" Akira blushed and hit Tadashi embarrassingly on the shoulder with a bit too much of her strength. Tadashi flew across the garden and into a patch of daffodils, barely missing the rose patch.

"Congratulations on the road to getting hitched," Kei commented aloofly, he was patting Tadashi on the shoulder after helping him up and he sent a smirk off to Akira. "Good luck with being stuck with a feisty woman for the rest of your life, they will never cease to amuse you."

Tadashi laughed and thanked Kei while Akira furiously ran over to deliver another blow to Tadashi and Hikari blushed and decided to try challenging Kei's words.

As all this was happening, Megumi stood and watched the familiar scene that was done over and over again when they were all in high school. It was warm and felt like the good old days, but she was nervous a bit about a particular person that has been standing next to her the whole time in his never old purple attire.

She looked at Yahiro somewhat nervously and remembered what had been said a few days before the party.

_Her phone vibrated in her pocket. Megumi took out her cell phone and looked at the caller I.D. and it said 'Akira'. She opened her cell phone and put it to her ear._

_"Hello, Megumi speaking," Megumi answered._

_"MEGUMI-CHAN!! How is it going? It has been awhile since I've seen you! I miss you Megumi!" Akira's voice whined on the other end._

_"I've been fine Akira, singing has been great for me, I have already released my debut album and now I have a new project."_

_"I have heard it! It was so beautiful I bought three more boxes of them."_

_Three more boxes? Megumi thought and sweat dropped, what would she do with three boxes, use them as ninja stars at Tadashi?_

_"Thank you! How are you and Tadashi doing?"_

_Immediate silence followed the other end of the line._

_"Hello? Akira?" Megumi said._

_"H-h-h-he…" Akira stuttered, Megumi could guess that she was blushing on the other end, "p-proposed to me a few days ago!"_

_Megumi smiled, she wasn't very surprised that they would be the first couple to marry out of the S.A. group since they were the first couple to start dating, "Congratulations Akira! I'm so happy for you!"_

_"T-thank you Megumi-Chan! Um…y-yeah so we decided that it would be nice to have an engagement party. It would be a nice way to see everyone again after we haven't in such a while!"_

_"That would be great, when?"_

_"This Sunday, is that okay?"_

_"I'll definitely be there Akira and I'll sing a song for you too if you like."_

_"I would love that! Oh and Megumi can you do me a favor?"_

_"A favor??"_

_"Well you see it's been a long time since I've seen that dim-witted brain boy and I am never able to get a hold of him, Yahiro. He seems so busy these days after taking over his father's company almost completely that he has problems answering his phone. Would you mind telling him too?"_

_"M-me?" Megumi asked a bit surprised, "Why me?"_

_"Because!" Megumi could feel Akira brightly smiling on the other end, "out of all of us, you have been the longest and closest friend to Yahiro! You probably know where he is more than we do everyday."_

_"Not that close…or as long…" Megumi muttered back a reply._

_"Nonsense!" Akira said, "You guys are always hanging around each other, it's like your dating. Good thing you guys aren't though, otherwise I would give him a good beating for preying on my poor Megumi-Chan!" Megumi felt a dark aura starting to seep through her cell phone._

_"Y-yeah," Megumi laughed awkwardly, her heart sinking, "We're not…."_

_"Well! Thank you Megumi! I can't wait to see you I have to go now and see Tadashi's parents. I'm kind of nervous, wish me luck!"_

_"Good luck Akira!" Beep._

Close friends huh, Megumi thought glumly. She returned her gaze back at Yahiro who was standing next to her looking ever so nonchalantly. One hand was in his pocket and the other was holding a glass of red wine. Ever since he arrived at the party with her, he had said a few things to the other S.A. members, struck up a tiny conversation with Akira, and left Tadashi some interesting congratulatory words. Other than that he was silent for pretty much the whole party.

What could he be thinking? Megumi pondered, her eyebrows furrowing. She clutched her magic board close to her and started staring at Yahiro. Megumi started wondering if Yahiro's feelings for Akira were settled now. It has been five years; five years since he found out they were dating.

Yahiro noticed Megumi's staring and smiled, "Like what you see?"

Megumi lightly blushed and quickly turned away to go walk over to watch Hikari being molested by Kei. Her magic board held behind her saying, '_You remind me of a large grape_.'

Twenty Hikari and Kei moments, twenty-five Akira and Tadashi moments, fifteen other people moments, and one large bon-fire moment later the party was over. The sun was long gone and the moon was bright and over their heads.

Everyone was old enough now to go home when needed and none of them lived with their parents anymore. Well pretty much not in the same house at least. In fact Kei and Hikari were already living together, Jun had moved closer to his university and Sakura, Ryuu was living with Finn, and the rest were living in their own places too.

The same went for Megumi and Yahiro; they weren't kids anymore. They had their lives to fill and independence to do what they pleased. Well except for the fact that Megumi was actually still living with Jun, but it never caused too much problems, just some interesting moments that would be better if they lived separately.

"I'm going to be up for awhile doing papers," Yahiro said looking at his watch while he neared his motorcycle, "And I'm already getting tired, you want to go get some coffee with me?"

Megumi reflected back to when she saw Jun leaving with Sakura, it seems that they had their own little date afterwards that they were going to go on. The house would be rather empty, Megumi thought, and Megumi didn't really like staying in a quiet house.

In fact Jun did that quite often so Megumi would find herself meeting Yahiro around cafés and drinking tea until she felt like she thought it was a good time to go home.

Megumi smiled and nodded, she looked at Yahiro's shiny silver motorcycle and looked back at Yahiro. '_What's the occasion for using your motorcycle_?' she wrote on her board.

"Well," Yahiro said while taking out a silver and a white helmet, handing the white one to Megumi, "all the servants are out on vacation leave right now and I'm too lazy to use the car.

"Plus," Yahiro smiled while he situated himself on the bike, "it's been awhile since I've used it and the night still seems young, why not?"

Megumi took a deep gulp, situated herself behind Yahiro and leaned in close.

"Whatever you do, don't scream" Yahiro laughed and sped off into the night.

* * *

I hate traveling by motorcycle, Megumi thought while stirring her spoon around in her milk tea. She watched the ripples her spoon made silently crash into the edge of the cup.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She disliked traveling by motorcycle because of the close proximity that she always had to be with the one guy that had not returned her feelings in five years.

It's not like I'm not used to it now, Megumi thought rather bitterly, it's just because I can always feel the warmth coming off his back and I can always smell his scent in the wind. And darn it that smell made her mind go blank and sent her into a daze.

Megumi sighed and opened her eyes to stare at her reflection in the cup. She swirled her spoon around the cup some more. It had been five years and not much has changed.

The only few parts of Megumi that changed was that today she was wearing white heels that clasped around her ankles, a plaid mini-skirt, and more accessories. Her body actually filled in around the chest area a bit more right before she stopped growing all together, which was nice. Her hair grew a little longer, but that never made too much of a difference to her wavy hair. Megumi barely grew an inch taller, and her face still looked like one of a high school student.

About five years older and Yahiro didn't change much either. His hair was still as lavender as ever, a bit long around the edges of his hair though. He was due for a trim. He still had the same humor like he did years past, and his attire still consisted of random name brand clothing and occasional sweater vests and suits.

His body was only a slight more lean than before, but he seemed rather skinny due from the piles of work that his father started giving him.

Megumi stared at Yahiro who was rather concentrated in his pile of papers that he had beside him. He occasionally picked up his coffee and sipped it, which meant that he was getting tired and needed a boost of caffeine. After coming to the café with Yahiro so many times, Megumi was able to tell the patterns and signs of Yahiro's actions.

'_What are you working on?_' Megumi wrote on her board and set it on the table.

"Some guy from our hotel branch is trying to get a whole hot spring event set up that will make us millions and I'm proofing his plan," Yahiro said sighed and leaned back in his seat feeling exhausted. "I'm getting bored of this stupid paperwork."

Megumi sipped her tea and watched Yahiro close his eyes and grumble about things. She set her tea down and excitedly wrote another line on her magic board.

'_Good for Akira and Tadashi huh? They are getting married, I'm so happy for them_.' Megumi wrote.

"Yeah…" Yahiro agreed, his mind drifting off.

'…_Are you happy for them?_' Megumi tilted her head, she was a bit nervous asking, but then again it had been five years and she barely ever brought up the topic about Akira. Time should have done its work.

"Stupid," Yahiro retorted and rolled his eyes, "Of course I am, it's Akira, if she is happy then I am too."

'_I wish I could get married someday_.'

Yahiro smirked. "Well if Chitose considered you a grandma, it could be kind of late for you now…" he teased.

Megumi huffed and wrote a response, '_I was just mistaken as a teenager by a grandma last week who thought that I was her fourteen year old daughter. Then the mother of the girl came and thought that I was a schoolmate of her daughter and asked if I knew her. I think Chitose's eyes needs to be fixed and that old woman too, I am definitely not a teenager!_'

Yahiro spit out his coffee and started laughing. Megumi twitched her eyebrow and decided to drink her tea until Yahiro ran out of oxygen and died. Too bad that didn't happen though, he stayed alive and recomposed himself

"Okay," Yahiro wiped his eye and sat back in his smug position, "How is singing?"

'_I'm working on a new song!'_ Megumi smiled enthusiastically.

"Oh? Really that's good for you," Yahiro replied, his attention was completely gone from his papers, "when?"

'_I get to find out tomorrow! I can't wait_.' Megumi wrote and flowers could almost been seen blooming around her.

"Tomorrow?" Yahiro mumbled, and then he looked at Megumi and gave his smile, "You know, there is going to be a corporate party tomorrow. Can you go with me?"

'_Again?_' Megumi wrote on her board, a bit surprised, there was just a party last week.

"Well," Yahiro said and put a hand on his head, "It's that time again when corporations hold all their parties to renew partnerships and honor them and the Saiga Corporation has many partnerships with many companies.

"Plus, It's not really much fun without you there," Yahiro said and faked a dramatic look and held Megumi's hands.

Megumi returned him a deadpan face.

Yahiro let go and chuckled, "I'm just joking Megumi, your reactions are no fun anymore," he 'tsked'.

"Fine, well you know you are always invited to sing at those parties and everyone loves hearing your songs."

Megumi's heart thumped a beat, '_they do_?'

"Yeah," Yahiro smiled and leaned back into his seat, ready to go back to grueling over work, "And I like hearing them too."

Megumi thought for a moment. Did he mean that he liked her being there or just her songs? If it was both that would be meaningful too, but…Megumi was thinking, it is just probably as a friend he liked her there and her singing was always enjoyable.

In these past five years Yahiro had always invited her to these parties. The first one surprised her and she thought that he was asking her on a date. It made her heart race for a moment thinking that he was actually returning her feelings. But it only turned out that he was helping her boost her singing ability. It was very nice of him at first, Megumi thought warmly yet sadly, though as time went on he always asked her to attend these parties with him.

Megumi felt confused why he still asked her now these days. Was it because the need to help her vocal career, or was it because he truly enjoyed her company and no one else's. Megumi furrowed her eyebrows, by now he could ask anyone he wanted to and any new girl, but he always had to ask her.

Yet he claimed every time Megumi asked about his feelings, he would always say that he doesn't have any feelings for her still. What was the constant point of her going with him if it wasn't love?

Megumi sighed and wrote on her board, '_Fine, I'll go. But as long as I get white lily flowers this time._'

"White lilies?" Yahiro said, "Not pink peonies?"

Megumi nodded and smiled, she returned to drinking her tea and she gazed outside the window of the cute café.

She could at least dream a bit.

* * *

Humming and a little skip in each step, Megumi traveled her favorite road down to her favorite singing studio. She loved singing and she loved making new songs, and today she was going to get a new song to sing.

"Good morning Yamamoto-san," two voices greeted at the reception desk.

'_Good morning!_' Megumi wrote back and bowed back at the two nice ladies who always gave her a greeting.

"We heard your new album recently!" One of them squealed, "We really like it!"

"Yeah!" The other one said, "Keep up the hard work okay Megumi-Chan?"

Megumi blushed and looked down, "T-t-thank you very much for liking it, I promise I'll work harder on the next one!" She smiled and bowed again and waved goodbye at them.

Megumi stood in the elevator and hummed the whole way up, she was very happy that people liked her album. The elevator door opened.

"Megumi-Chan!" A woman with nicely brushed hair and red-framed glasses said with open arms, "Come! I'm very excited to tell you what you are doing next!"

The woman grabbed Megumi's arm and excitedly pulled her into a meeting room. In that room were the studio's president, some people, and a manager.

'_Good morning everyone'_ Megumi bowed.

"Megumi-Chan!" The woman said standing next to a particular handsome man who sat in a chair leaning back and looking relaxed, "You will be working on a new project with Hiro-san! You know him right Megumi? He is the biggest singer of the market these days, and he's gone international too! He has just returned from Germany just to do this project with you. Lucky you Megumi! You get to work with him!"

Megumi watched the man stand up and approach her with his hand outstretched.

"My name is Hiro, it's nice to meet you Yamamoto Megumi," he smiled warmly, his hazel eyes glistening, even in the fluorescent lighting of the building. His hair was chestnut colored, his bangs fell softly in front of his eyes, and his teeth were white and brilliant. "I have heard you sing and I think it is very beautiful. I am honored to work with Yamamoto Rin's daughter."

Megumi blushed at the compliment and shook his hand slowly. "Thank you…it's a pleasure meeting a great vocalist like yourself too."

Megumi's manager smiled, she pushed her glasses up and turned around to the plump studio president, "See? Instant match! This project will be a success!"

The studio president chuckled and cleared his throat, "Yamamoto-san and Hiro-san, the project for this new album will be centered around 'Love'. This overused universal message will be re-newed with the both of you singing! You both will give a whole new meaning to love and spread joy to everyone!"

"Plus we are planning a huge concert for the release of the album!" Megumi's manager squealed, " There will be thousands of people watching, and millions more on television!"

Megumi's eyes opened wide, she was going to be on television too! Her first concert on such a large scale and it was going to be aired. Megumi smiled very happily and it brought warmth to everyone in the room. Her smile was that pure and innocent.

"I'll be looking forward to working with you," Hiro-san smiled at Megumi.

"I'll do my best everyone!" Megumi bowed eagerly, "Thank you everyone for letting me do this!"

Nothing can bring her down today!

* * *

Megumi stared at herself in the mirror and swished her dress a bit. She couldn't help but think that she looked pretty good for tonight. Somehow the dark red dress enveloped her frame nicely and let her natural body curves show. The dress went floor all the way down to floor length and split up the side of her leg. Frills came pouring out from the side of the split and the dress covered Megumi's shoulders nicely, but leaving her shoulder blades bare. But it allowed the gold accessories on her glitter and shine to make her face glow in any light.

Megumi fixed her hair a little bit more, having her heavy hair up in a stylish bun wasn't hard, but it was a bit difficult to keep it there. Gravity wanted to keep pulling it down, but some pins and hair spray will make it stay.

"Megumi!" Jun called from the door, "Yahiro is here to pick you up again!"

Megumi quickly picked up her golden hand purse and took a quick spray of her sweet smelling sakura blossom perfume.

Megumi wafted in the scent, tasty she thought.

She carefully yet swiftly walked down the stairs and met Jun at the door.

'_How do I look?_' Megumi used her board and asked with a determined face.

"Are you really Megumi?" Jun chuckled, "Because the last time I checked my sister looked like a little girl."

Megumi pouted and slapped her twin brother lightly on the shoulder and walked outside the door and approached a silver car with a man in a black business suit leaning against it.

"Your five minutes late this time," Yahiro said looking at his watch, "two minutes better than last week. I see that you have decided to hurry those little feet of yours this time." He looked up and gave a smug look to Megumi.

'_I was purposely going to take a longer time each time we go to a party just for you_.' Megumi had on her magic board. She smiled and erased it to write another sentence, '_but just for today I was going to be nice because of all the stress you have gotten from work_.'

"My, what a generous gift," Yahiro said in a mock-surprised voice.

Megumi hummed and bounced over to the side with the shotgun seat.

'_Let's go_?' she smiled.

"Hmm…" Yahiro said wonderingly at Megumi, "I think that you are a bit more happier than usual today."

"I am!" Megumi brightly replied; she couldn't help herself. She giggled: concert, singing, and working with an international star!

Yahiro was surprised, and coughed, "Oh? Why?"

"I get to do a concert along with a new song!" Megumi chirped happily and clapped her hands together, "Plus it will be broadcasted on television!"

"What?" Yahiro exclaimed and then recomposed himself, "Well then congratulations to you Yamamoto Megumi, you are another step closer to achieving the title of 'top female vocalist of Japan'."

He pulled out a batch of flowers from his seat and held them up to Megumi and bowed a bit.

"To the beautiful singer," Yahiro said with a smooth voice and smiled.

Megumi looked at the flowers and blushed lightly. She took the flowers and cradled them in her arms, looking at the pure whiteness of the lily under the moonlight.

She wondered, as she got into the car, how many times Yahiro had given her flowers and how many times she couldn't control her feelings. She always let a little blush or felt her cheeks grow warm each time she received flowers from him.

It saddened Megumi; her imagination was so powerful time-to-time that she would feel a bit of her fantasy leak into reality. Thus making her feel false bliss for awhile until she was pulled back into the real world knowing that Yahiro only gave them to her because she asked for them.

It would be nice if she received flowers out of pure feelings one day from a man that loved her, Megumi thought warmly. But Megumi doubted whether that day would ever come or not.

Still, flowers are flowers and are to be appreciated no matter what the reason is, Megumi smiled and touched the flowers gingerly with her hand. She remembered again: concert and singing. She giggled; she couldn't wait to start working on the new project.

Yahiro glanced at Megumi from every now and then. She was silent at first but a giggle would escape her every few seconds. He raised his eyebrow while swiftly driving through traffic.

"Giggling too much can give you hiccups you know," the Saiga heir commented.

"I can't stop myself," Megumi giggled and swayed in her seat, "I'm going to get to work with the prince of ballads."

"The prince of ballads?" Yahiro said, Megumi was working with someone too?

"Hiroshi Gouda, the top leading singer of Japan right now," Megumi said smiling, "He sings such beautiful songs and his voice is a smooth as the ocean, if the ocean did have a voice. He knows how to make the perfect pitch and he has the most compelling voice that makes any ear attracted to his sound.

"Plus," Megumi added in matter-of-factly, "He is actually a really handsome person both inside and out. A perfect gentleman."

"Perfect huh?" Yahiro snorted and smirked, "So what are his songs like? Sappy and tearful?"

"No" Megumi replied, "They are hopeful and make love sound like it is the best feeling in the world."

"Best feeling?" Yahiro questioned sarcastically, "I bet it really is, yes because love will take your heart away and send you into eternal bliss where nothing ever goes wrong because love will conquer all." Yahiro cackled, "That is why people break up. Hiroshi Gouda definitely knows the definition of love for sure."

Megumi leaned back in her seat and crossed her legs, five years has allowed her to be able to reply back normally without getting flustered for an answer. But then again time couldn't help her with her fast irritation with Yahiro when he decided to make fun of things, especially about the topic of love.

"Don't make fun of Hiro-san! You couldn't say that Yahiro because you have never been in a relationship," Megumi snapped back and then muttered looking away, "nor have you tried one."

Yahiro's ears caught Megumi's muttering and he leaned back casually in the driver's seat while waiting for the light to turn blue (or green, Japan calls them blue I hear).

"I'm not in love right now," Yahiro replied in a stoic tone, "I'm comfy with my position right now, I don't see a need to change my status."

Megumi's heart sank; yes he isn't in love with anyone. Good for Megumi since that meant there weren't anyone she had to watch out for, but then again her undying love was never going to get to him. Unrequited love was a hard thing to keep up and be friends with, but Megumi couldn't stop herself from seeing him. Five years since that day and she is still in love with this unfeeling man. It was both a curse and a joy.

She was closer to him than others were, but she wasn't the closest to his heart.

'_That's something my grandpa would say_,' Megumi returned to using her magic board, '_so keep your eyes on the road grandpa, I don't want your comfort to end our lives here right now_.'

Yahiro did quick jerks left and right with the car and Megumi yelped in surprise.

"Don't get a heart-attack grandma," Yahiro laughed and kept driving.

Despicable guy, Megumi cursed.

* * *

Hee hee I like putting them into the future. I would always like to wonder what would happen when all the S.A. members grew up. Well please enjoy the story! I'll be writing more :)


	2. Standing Near and Wondering

Chapter Two

Enjoy much and don't smoke. It is bad for your lungs. Yes who would've thought that out of all places that there would be this no smoking message here? I wouldn't have. Oh and don't run over your friendly frogs, they get pretty sad. -__-

Disclaimer – I no own S.A. nyah~

Okay chapter two!

* * *

Megumi fiddled with her strawberry a-la-mode parfait. The whip cream gleamed in the light and the strawberries were glossy with sugar coated around it. Three little mochi balls sat in the corner of the glass screaming to get eaten and jelly at the bottom just squirmed to see the light past the pink balls of ice cream.

The spoon repeatedly attacked the parfait in annoyance.

Sighing, Megumi remembered the eventful evening she had the night before. It was night again and a midnight snack wasn't looking exactly too appealing to her at the moment.

_Megumi sang her last note, brightly, clearly, and with a soft touch the piece ended. The audience clapped for her and Megumi smiled brightly and bowed._

_"And that was Yamamoto Megumi!!!" the announcer cheered as he resumed his spot on the stage, "and next…."_

_Megumi walked off the stage and carefully made sure that she did not trip on any part of her silky black dress. She was excited herself for being able to sing so well again. This time she made no mistakes, no wrong notes, and people enjoyed it. She walked to the foods table, hoping for a glass of wine or anything that would fulfill her parched throat._

_Approaching the table, Megumi frowned as she noticed the empty glasses and the lack of wine, or anything to drink for that matter._

_I'm so thirsty, Megumi thought looking at a celery stick; maybe vegetables will help me quench it. She took a stick and started munching on it._

_Feeling her shoulder get tapped, she turned around casually and jumped a bit at the sight of Yahiro's appearance. She thought that he was busy in a crowd chatting to many company owners and their spouses, instead he was right next to her grinning with that merciless expression that he always had._

_"Thirsty I'm guessing?" Yahiro smirked as he sipped his wine in his right hand and held another glass in his left hand. He swirled his wine around and licked his lips while Megumi looked endearingly at the liquid._

_"For you," Yahiro smiled as he handed the wine glass to Megumi, "you sang beautifully tonight."_

_Megumi took the drink and hurriedly took a sip and felt relief wash over her. She looked back at Yahiro and smiled, "thank you, but I believe you used that line last week."_

_He smiled and shifted onto his other leg, "You're right I did," he laughed, "I see that your getting more demanding of diverse compliments each week. Are we going to get more demanding on what to call you now too, Megumi-sama?"_

_Megumi shot a peeved glance at Yahiro with all the might she could, but it didn't do much to change that mocking expression on him._

_"But," Yahiro continued, "I really did love your singing," his expression softened, "It was very beautiful."_

_"Thank you," Megumi muttered, she bowed her head down and looked away as she tried to conceal a faint blush. The look from Yahiro when he complimented her always just sent her heart going a slightly faster speed than the usual. She could never control that part of her heart, especially when he gave the softened smile and the honest gleam in his eyes._

_Yahiro looked around at the crowds of people chatting to each other, and he noticed some more company owners that he had not talked to yet. Ugh, Yahiro thought._

_"How has the chatting with various people have been going?" Megumi asked, trying to make light conversation to distract Yahiro from noticing her cheek color._

_"Yawn," Yahiro said, "I'm getting bored of constantly talking to one CEO after another. Once I'm done talking to one business owner, another one comes up and I have to start striking up conversations again. They are all very old and married. I don't know how many times I have to hear about the hope of retiring soon!" Yahiro huffed and crossed his arms._

_Megumi giggled, "Too bad you are far away from that."_

_"Don't remind me, because if that wasn't awful enough to constantly hear about, what is worst is listening to the old men brag about their daughters and trying to sell them to me," Yahiro said in an annoyed way._

_"Marriage interviews?" Megumi inquired in a curious voice. She gripped her grasp on her wine glass a little; she had almost forgot that he was the young single heir of the mighty Saiga family._

_Yahiro 'tsked', and was about to open his mouth but only to be interrupted by a sudden old female appearance dressed in a very lavish kimono._

_"Are you the one that sang just now?" The old lady exclaimed excitedly, a glass of champagne in one hand, "You're Yamamoto Megumi are you not? My, my, my!" She said and softly grabbed Megumi's hand and held it, "I love music, and I have been to many concerts, but in the years that I have been alive, I must say that your singing is one of the most angelic, wonderful voice I have ever heard. Give it a few more years and I know that it will even excel your mother's voice!"_

_Megumi blushed and bowed to the grandma, "T-thank you very much for giving me such kind encouragement," she said smiling, "You are a very kind woman for thinking that of my mother and I."_

_The grandma smiled back and opened her tiny old fading eyes. She noticed Yahiro and she glanced quickly at the both of them and smiled warmly, "My, what a young age to get married at, how nice," she commented heartedly. "I'm sorry if I interrupted anything…you know, important," she smiled and stared at Yahiro._

_Megumi blushed and she could have sworn Yahiro did a faint bit too._

_"Ah, we're not married," Megumi said wearing an apologetic smile. I don't think I will for awhile either, Megumi thought rather gloomily._

_"Oh!" The old woman gasped, "I'm sorry, I'm getting ahead of myself! Then you two must be dating?"_

_"We're just friends," Yahiro said kindly to the lady. Two men glanced at Yahiro and started walking his direction. Megumi nodded her head, it was an uncomfortable thought to dwell on but it was true._

_The old lady smiled sweetly put her hand to her mouth, "Oh! I'm very sorry! I thought that you two were going out with each other. You know, back in my days when young people, your age, would've already been married by now!"_

_Megumi smiled back at the old lady and said that it was ok and the old lady started chatting about how it had been awfully nice weather recently. The two men greeted Yahiro and Yahiro excused himself from the conversation with the old lady. He painfully, only in Megumi's eyes, put on a cheerful expression and started up striking business conversations with the two men._

_Megumi nicely led the old lady a nice distance away from the chattering business talk by asking if she was tired and wanted anything to eat._

_"Oh no," the old lady smiled and waved her hand, "it is actually quite nice enough that you are willing to listen to an old bag like me._

_"Do you have a boyfriend currently Megumi-san?" the old lady asked._

_"Ah," Megumi smiled and shook her head, "I don't have one at the moment."_

_"What? That is such a shame!" The old lady gasped in astonishment, "You have such a pretty face and you are such a sweet child. A lady like you shouldn't be alone and single on nights like these."_

_"Oh, I'm not alone, I came with a friend," Megumi replied curtly._

_"No, not with a friend," the grandma shook her head and gazed up into the beautiful chandelier lights that hung overhead._

_Music started from the stage and people started bustling about onto the dance floor. Even though it was a business party, it didn't mean that there didn't need to be any dancing._

_"You should be out on a date, being out with a man and walking together out under the moon: Holding hands and gazing into each other's eyes, spending your youth out there where you can't as you grow older like I," The old lady started rambling, her eyes glittering with memories._

_Megumi listened and nodded._

_"You shouldn't waste your youth without tasting a bit of love out there offered to you," the old lady finally concluded._

_Another man started walking towards them, this time though he had a younger face and he didn't look any more than twenty-five years old. "Look," she nudged and smiled to Megumi coyly, "here is your chance!"_

_"Grandma!" the young man exclaimed and apologized to Megumi, "I'm sorry if she's been bothering you."_

_"She hasn't at all," Megumi smiled and shook her head._

_"Oh! You were the one that sang not too long ago are you not?" The young man said enthusiastically, "You sang very beautifully tonight, I loved your voice, it was so wonderful and it has officially made me a fan of you for life!"_

_"Thank you," Megumi replied and tilted her head giving a smile, she blushed lightly, "I'm happy that you liked it so much, please come to see my new concert soon."_

_"Son," the old lady said, "This is Yamamoto Megumi and she has been very nice to me, but at the moment she seems a bit unaccompanied, would you mind taking her out for a dance or two?"_

_"G-g-grandma!" the young man blushed and turned to Megumi, "I'm sorry, grandma has a tendency to like pairing up people on the spot."_

_"Nonsense!" the old lady said and gave a little push to Megumi, "she would love to go out for a dance, ne?"_

_The old lady smiled so innocently to Megumi that Megumi couldn't back down and say no. But then again, there really wasn't much to lose or do anyways, so Megumi nodded her head and accepted the invitation._

_Megumi glanced at Yahiro while she settled herself into the waltz position on the dance floor. People surrounded him again. He wouldn't mind if she decided to go have a little bit of fun while he was busy working. Megumi smiled at the old lady's nephew and began to dance to the song._

He was actually rather good at dancing, Megumi thought remembering herself dancing the other night.

But, Megumi recalled, shouldn't waste your youth. What the lady said had brought up some thoughts that Megumi never really thought upon.

For five years Megumi has never thought about dating anyone else, it never came across her mind that she could go try going out with other guys instead of being around Yahiro all the time. This whole time Megumi stayed around Yahiro because she was trying to appeal to him. She was trying to show to Yahiro that she was there and she wasn't going to back down after one rejection. She wanted him to know that she really did like him and that he wasn't alone. Indeed, these feelings of hers are true and still there, but after so long Megumi wasn't sure whether it was lingering emotions or still the same longing from five years ago.

Though every single action he did, and each time he showed compassion to her she knew that she couldn't control herself from thinking I really do love this stupid guy. Megumi had a feeling even if she went out with another guy it wouldn't stop her mind from thinking about Yahiro and how he was feeling that day. Was he tired? Lonely? Hungry? Or was he happy? Her concern would always be on him.

Smiles from other guys wouldn't sway her heart, she also knew, because her heart didn't feel the same when it wasn't Yahiro who was showing that rare caring expression of his. It had the power to make her ten times happier and the ability to make her sing her heart out.

Megumi looked at Yahiro who was busy typing away on his laptop, being a hard worker as always. What about Yahiro though? I wonder how Yahiro would take it if I went on a date with someone, Megumi thought wonderingly, would he like that?

Would he still just be the same cool calmed person that wouldn't mind her dating a guy because he didn't have feelings for her?

'_What if_,' Megumi couldn't resist herself from asking using her board, '_I got a boyfriend_?'

Yahiro stopped typing and glanced up at Megumi's board, expecting something that wasn't about Megumi's current question. His eyes opened slightly in surprise and he froze for a moment before he reached to take another sip of his coffee.

Megumi was waiting for an answer, but Yahiro wasn't giving one, he just kept drinking. A little bit irritated Megumi erased her question and wrote another; 'What if I was going on a date tomorrow with my boyfriend?' she smiled at Yahiro.

Yahiro sat silently in his seat and stared the board, still sipping his coffee. What could he be thinking? Megumi wondered as she pushed her board a little more forward. She was silently hoping that he would tell her that he wouldn't like that, but then again that was only her hoping the unreal.

"This isn't one of your silly pick-up games is it?" Yahiro asked with a smug smile and put his coffee back down on the table, "Because you know I think you are clearly old enough to stop playing those kinds of games. Remember? You said that you are not a teenager."

'_No you stupid! I really mean it, what if I'm going on a date tomorrow?_' Megumi rewrote her question and added an insult.

"Well," Yahiro said as he shifted in his seat, "Do… you like this guy?"

'_Yes_' Megumi replied.

"Is it someone I know?"

'_Nope._'

"Is it the guy you were dancing with last night? Because just to let you know I don't really think that--"

'_You were watching_?' Megumi tilted her head, a little bewildered to the fact that Yahiro noticed.

"Well yes I mean everyone could clearly see you two dancing on the dance floor."

'_But you were surrounded by tons of people…wait that isn't the point, so what if I had a boyfriend?_' she took her board and erased the message after she showed it and hesitated on the next message.

'_Will you be okay_?' She looked up at Yahiro with large brown eyes and searched deeply for a secret answer.

Yahiro froze in his position; her concern was over him?

Why did she have to ask all these questions? But as he started imagining Megumi having a boyfriend, he realized that she wouldn't be sitting there the next day across from him drinking something that was always sweet or color tasty. A little part of him became automatically saddened but Yahiro confused it with thinking that it was indigestion instead.

"You don't need to be asking me for my permission if you can date someone," Yahiro replied plainly, "I won't die if you are gone for a bit.

"Just make sure that you don't take him anywhere strange and then get chased around the whole city," Yahiro smiled his signature smile, aloof and calm, yet rather mocking. 'Don't sing to him either,' Yahiro subconsciously was tempted to add, but he decided against it because it was like telling her to not go sing in front of an audience.

'_That was only one time!_' Megumi blushed in embarrassment, '_It won't happen again because it will be a romantic date_.'

"Oh?" Yahiro said.

'Yes!' Megumi determinedly replied using her board.

Yahiro was about to make another teasing comment back but he was interrupted as her cell phone clattered away.

Megumi opened her phone and replied using her voice, a little bit soft but audible "Hello? This is Megumi speaking. "Oh! Gouda-san!"

Yahiro couldn't hear what she was talking about on the other line. Megumi's face turned a little worried, "All day tomorrow? …Where? Oh, okay, see you then." She hung up her phone and turned around to Yahiro.

Megumi glanced at the time on her cell phone and wrote on her board, '_I have to go now, it's getting late and apparently we are having a whole day rehearsal tomorrow_.'

"All of tomorrow?" Yahiro asked in slight disbelief.

Megumi nodded excitedly, '_With Gouda-san and the stage involved! I can't wait_.'

"And your 'date'?" Yahiro smirked.

Megumi pondered whether she should just tell Yahiro that it was all just hypothetical questions, but, Megumi thought, it's not like he would care too much would he? '_Maybe between breaks, but it's not like it'll affect you either way_,' Megumi smiled and left Yahiro still buried in his work. She did a tiny wave, picked up her belongings, hugged her magic board close and left the table.

Once Megumi completely left, Yahiro leaned against the chair and threw his head back. All this work around him was getting rather stressing because they were never ending.

He closed his eyes and started wondering about Megumi's sudden questions. She has been asking many of them recently. Was she up to something? What was it in her head that brought her to ask these strange questions?

"I just don't get what she is thinking sometimes," Yahiro mumbled putting one arm on his forehead. He watched the light above him flicker and bit, but emit a warm light that sent waves of warmth to his face.

Yahiro closed his eyes and began remembering the certain day a brunette admitted out care for him five years ago. He could remember her face, all flustered and tears coming down at the same time. Then her sudden runaway right after she realized she said it.

I like Yahiro! He specifically remembered that phrase. He truly did not see that coming that day, or ever in that fact. Usually most people thought that he was terrible, a menace, and always kept their distance. But Megumi actually cared for him, what did he do to deserve this he wasn't sure.

Frankly saying though, that day he wasn't ready to love again. He recently confessed to Akira, but he knew that he was immediately turned down before he even needed to say it. There wasn't a chance for him at all with her, and he knew it.

But now, being confessed to by a singer that had touched his heart once, he tried to rethink his emotions. He mulled it over and over in his thought the night right after her confession. Pretty much losing half of his sleep that night, he knew that he didn't like Megumi back. He just knew that there wasn't any love affection going through him every time she popped into his mind. Yet then again, there wasn't any feeling of letting go either.

She appeared in his mind and stayed in his mind. There were no warm flushed feelings going through him, rapid heartbeat, or fantasies. But instead there was a thought, and that thought Yahiro couldn't put his finger on. As much as he kept thinking it over he wasn't sure exactly what that thought was. So he didn't push Megumi away and now five years later they are close friends.

Friends, Yahiro let out a small husky chuckle while thinking, who would have thought that out of all the people in the world he could've talked to it had to be this young brunette lady. How come it had to be Megumi that in the span of five years that he would still be connected to even after everyone went their ways and started lives of their own.

"Saiga-sama," a maid said (one of the temporary) coming into the room, "would you like more coffee?"

"Yes," Yahiro replied returning to his work, "and make sure it is bitter."

* * *

"Okay! Take a thirty minute break everyone!" the director shouted. People began to chatter and set things aside.

Megumi walked over to a stand and picked up a water bottle and drank from it. Very thirsty, Megumi thought. They were outside and the sun was beginning to set, but they were not done yet. It excited Megumi yet made her dazed at the same time; she couldn't believe that they were making a music video too. Her manager had said nothing about it until this very morning when she went into her office. Now she was outside and only about 1/3 of the shoot was finished. A break felt really nice to her.

"Oh! Gouda-san!" A female worker squealed, "I love your songs! I heard you are a guru at love and relationships, just like the experience your songs teach!"

Hiroshi chuckled and signed the paper that was offered to him by the worker. He replied, "No, I'm not that experienced, it is just the matters of the heart I'm very good with."

Megumi perked her ears up and glanced at Hiro-san. Was he actually that good? Megumi wearily started walking to him and kept throwing the question around in her head whether she should ask him or not about her problems. She didn't want to bother him, but then again…hearing from a guy like Hiro would've been a great chance to learn something.

"Yamamoto-san!" Hiro greeted cheerfully as he saw Megumi stumble to him slowly. "You did a very good job for your first music video shoot today!"

Megumi looked up and smiled nervously, "T-t-thank you Gouda-san! You did a very good job yourself today, I hope one day I can be just as good as you are in these things."

"Hiro-san," Hiro smiled and patted Megumi's back, "You may call me Hiro-san and video shoots? No you're a natural at them Megumi!"

"Oh, t-thank you," Megumi said.

Hiro smiled widely again and watched Megumi fidget. "Is there something wrong?" he asked nicely.

"U-uhm…" Megumi stuttered immensely and twiddled her fingers, "I have a problem…do you mind listening to it?"

"Sure of course, what is it?"

Megumi opened her mouth but nothing came out. She was very nervous to telling him her problems, what if he laughed at her?

She took out her magic board and nervously scribbled.

'_You see, I have this friend who apparently has been very good friends with a male friend of hers for a long time. She likes him a lot, but he claims that he doesn't have any of the same emotions to return. What do you think she should do?_' Megumi looked up with large brown orbs, full of nervousness and worry.

"Well, why does this friend still keep close to this guy? How come she hasn't moved on yet?" Hiroshi asked.

'_Because she said he makes her feel special and sees something in her that others don't. He has a distant attitude though that makes people dislike him, so she can't stray away from him because she can't leave him alone. She feels that he needs someone besides him_.'

"What does her friend do?"

_'He is the heir and works in a large leading corporation_.'

"Mm…hmm…and has her friend ever gone out with anyone else?"

'_No_,' Megumi replied using her board, '_he claims that he doesn't have any love feelings for anyone_.'

"Do you know why is that?"

'_Because…_' Megumi started pondering, 'I_ believe it is because he is afraid to love again. A long time ago, while he was friends with her, he used to like someone else, but he was turned down. But that doesn't bother my friend too much, only sometimes she would wonder if he still thought about his old crush_.' Megumi erased her board and rewrote another message after and looked up with large eyes again, '_Is it hopeless for my friend_?'

Hiro-san listened intently and then laughed, "It sounds like to me that your friend's crush is just a timid guy. I don't think he knows his own feelings right now and that is why he hasn't pushed her away or gotten closer in all these years. He is probably just trying to keep everything at bay right now to prevent him from getting confused.

"Don't worry, there still is hope," Hiro-san smiled and gave a thumbs up to Megumi.

Megumi was surprised. Did it really seem so? Could she take Hiro-san's words and believe it herself. Was Yahiro really as timid as this love guru described to be?

"Do you really think so?" Megumi asked hopefully with tints of doubts in her voice.

Hiro-san looked behind Megumi and kept his eyes lingering there for a moment before he looked down at Megumi, "Well here if you really don't believe me, let me give you a charm that will definitely help you out."

Hiroshi bent over and with a swift movement he graced Megumi's cheek with a kiss.

"There, that should help you," Hiroshi smiled and patted Megumi on the head. Megumi blushed and looked up at him with large confused eyes, his charm was a kiss? "This will help you to get through with your problem Megumi-Chan, and if it doesn't work then you can always come back to talk to me and I'll be glad to listen and talk it out with you.

"Good luck to getting the heart of your beloved, he is a very lucky guy to have a sweet girl like you," Hiro-san smiled and said.

Megumi smiled brightly and nodded, "thank you for listening, I will try."

Work wasn't any better compared to the day before. Contracts here, contracts there, property managing, complaints to listen to, meetings to deal with, new market ideas to mull over. Yahiro-sama we have a problem! Saiga-sama what do you think? All this piled on work was getting Yahiro stressed out. By the end of the day, he knew there were going to be another stack of papers to go through again.

He felt slightly faint so he decided to take a break. A nice break that would be enjoyable for him so he could feel refreshed to get back to grueling work again.

On a whim he decided that he would go visit Yamamoto Megumi. Using his connections and the ability to do practically anything, he got the location of Megumi's workplace and asked his temporary chauffeur to drive him there.

He expected to see a short brunette singing somewhere and making notes fly through the air, but instead he came right at break time. Well more the reason to go find her now, Yahiro thought interestedly while walking around through equipment and sets, I should go congratulate her for getting her first music video done.

He walked around a large prop bush and saw Megumi's wavy hair, but his eyes immediately traveled to a pair of green eyes owned to a man that stood in front of Megumi. The green eyes lingered a moment glance at him and Yahiro's lavender ones looked back at him confused.

What did this guy want? Yahiro thought. His eyes instantly opened widely as he saw what the man do next. The man kissed Megumi on the cheek.

Very unexpected, Yahiro felt and continued to watch in slight shock at the rest of the miniature scene. He watched Megumi blush and smile back at the guy and felt an aura of happiness emit from her. Then he saw those green eyes look back at him again, they looked like they were challenging him to something.

Yahiro, without delay, turned on his heels and hurriedly walked straight back to the shining black car that was waiting for him.

What was that guy thinking? What was Megumi saying? Why was she using her voice with him? What were they all happy about? Thoughts ran through Yahiro's mind rapidly. A bunch of why's popped into his head and he kept turning them over and over in his mind.

That must have been her date…Yahiro thought exasperatedly. That must have been it. It was a good thing that I didn't interrupt it; Yahiro bitterly recalled as he re-watched the scene in his mind. She clearly said that she was going out on a date today. His mood was plummeting.

"Why am I getting bitter over this?" Yahiro grumbled to himself and leaned back into the leather seats of the luxurious limo. The car stopped and the chauffer opened the door. Yahiro stepped out and immediately returned back to doing his extensive amount of work. He didn't want to think about anything more on what he just witnessed. Emotions were not needed when it came to working and that is what he was going to do for the rest of the day, screw the break.

* * *

"Yahiro-sama," the maid said behind a very large shut door, "someone is here to see you."

Yahiro sat in his chair feeling perished and drained. Eight straight hours of work and he had not been able to sleep in days. For two nights in a row he had been staying up reviewing papers and going over plans. He was getting drowsy and caffeine was wearing off.

"Let whoever it is in," Yahiro replied back lazily.

The door opened and a flash of a cotton flower patterned dress entered into the door, and then curly brown hair was draped over the shoulders. Yahiro looked up and saw the female that was his friend.

"Megumi?" Yahiro wearily asked, only mildly surprised at the late visit, it was probably already one in the morning. "It's late what are you doing here?"

'_I came to visit you'_ Megumi smiled and walked closer to the desk. There was a large distance between his desk and the door. It was a very spacey private office.

'_Have you eaten yet_?' Megumi questioned, examining all the massive piles that was around Yahiro's desk.

"I ate a little," Yahiro said and clattered away on his laptop.

Megumi looked around and frowned, "It is kind of dark here."

"I like working in the dark," Yahiro made a bad joke, "because I'm an evil villain."

'_Oh really'_ Megumi had on her board. She asked another question as she walked over to Yahiro. "How is work going?"

"Great," Yahiro replied sarcastically and turned around to face Megumi, "Just a few more endless nights and I think I can clear all this up by the end."

Megumi stared widely and observed at Yahiro's eyes, "You have really huge bags under your eyes!" She giggled, "You look like one of Ryuu's old raccoons."

"Shut up," Yahiro scowled tiredly and stood up to walk around, he wasn't very up to in the mood to make teasing comments back, but then again it didn't hurt to still try, "well at least I don't look like a small cotton ball like you." Well his teasing comment could've sucked more.

"You haven't slept in a long time haven't you?" Megumi asked.

"Not for three days, and I couldn't sleep anyways with all this stuff to deal with still," Yahiro grumbled and looked at his cup to see if there was any more coffee. I'm going to need more, he thought moodily.

"How about a nap then?" Megumi said and plopped down on a large green sofa, "I don't think it will hurt to take a short nap."

"I don't think I can't fall asleep that fast…." Yahiro said.

Megumi smiled and patted to the empty spot next to her, "I can sing a song to help you sleep Yahiro, just like all the other times I've done it."

Yahiro looked at her and this time felt a bit hesitant. Before during the same kind of nights when he had trouble sleeping, Megumi would offer to sing him a lullaby to help him go to sleep. Or there would be times when she would sing him a song to help him relax and sit back for a bit without needing to think so much. He knew that she was doing it out of worry and wanted nothing more than to keep him in good health, and he always complied with her offer. If he didn't comply, then she would have a fit and start threatening him with using her deadly voice. But this time he felt a tiny surge of a nervous feeling.

"You've already used your voice enough for today Megumi," Yahiro wearily said.

"It's okay, I don't mind singing a lullaby for you," Megumi softly replied, "It doesn't take too much voice to sing one too."

Yahiro slowly made his way to the sofa and lied down. He was feeling a bit anxious for the first time in all the times that he had taken a nap.

"Yahiro, when people nap, they close their eyes," Megumi said.

Yahiro rolled his eyes and shut them, "Yes Granny Megumi." He smirked.

Megumi was tempted to pinch Yahiro's face since it was so close and on her lap, for him being his annoying self, but she pushed it aside and began to sing.

After a few seconds of listening Yahiro, with his eyes closed, said, "Isn't this the song that you sang to me at that park?"

Megumi stopped for a second and blinked, "Yes, I made it into a lullaby. Do you want something different?"

Yahiro smiled and relaxed his shoulders, "No, I like it you can continue."

A few more versus and Megumi started humming a bit, she noticed that Yahiro's head was getting heavier and she could hear his breath getting slower and deeper. With one hand she started stroking Yahiro's lavender hair, so soft, she thought and smiled.

Yahiro opened his eyes again and tried to feign sleep for a moment, "Megumi…"

"Oh, you're awake still?" Megumi replied quickly and reeled her hand back from touching his hair.

"There is another party tomorrow," Yahiro mumbled only audible enough for Megumi to hear, "can you go with me?"

"…Yahiro," Megumi asked softly after a few moments of hesitation, "why don't you have a girlfriend yet?"

Yahiro rested on her lap quietly. It was because he didn't have any love affections right? He wasn't in love with anyone and that was it. Though, he felt a little doubtful of his own words this time, and for some odd reason he couldn't bring himself to say them.

"Do you like that singer?" Yahiro asked back, his lavender eyes looking at Megumi.

Megumi gazed back, a little bit surprised, why did Yahiro want to know? He wanted to make fun of her didn't he? How stupid, Megumi thought, he out of all people should of course already know that I still harbor feelings for him after all these years. But, Megumi smiled, he wasn't specific on the word like, so maybe I'll just change this a bit. It's not like he would care as much anyways, right?

"Maybe," Megumi replied simply and waited for a response.

Yahiro kept staring at her and Megumi looked down, "Why do you keep looking at me?"

"I can see up your nose," Yahiro said and smiled tauntingly.

This time Megumi went for the pinch and she huffed, "Go back to sleep you brat! I'll go to your party."

She resumed humming and ignored everything else that she was prepared to hear coming out of his mouth.

Yahiro chuckled and closed his eyes again. Slowly though, his smile faded and it was replaced with a tiny worried frown. Megumi noticed it, and she once again started stroking the soft hair of the young sleeping heir. He smiled again and shifted in his sleep.

Strange guy, Megumi lightly thought.

* * *

A/N – Not too shabby?? Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Sorry it took me awhile ;__;, I got caught up by drawing. I'm working on the next chapter now, hee hee.


	3. Small Touches a Good Start Part 1

Chapter Three Part One

Speed Racer is a fun movie; I bet you 50% of it was animated and green screened. Heh, I love it though, and the ending song is so bouncy.

Enjoy! The end to Closer than Close…PART ONE Gogogo!

* * *

Slow songs, great, Yahiro and Megumi thought midway through the song. If it was one thing that was the hardest to dance to, it was to slow songs. It didn't require much movement or skill, but it needed endurance and the will to tolerate.

Megumi was pushed up close to Yahiro and she could smell him better than ever. He wore a rather strong smelling man perfume and to her it smelled like sweet and fresh like cotton. That put her head into a daze like it always did.

Second of all, his face was close to her ear and she could feel his breathing breezing past the side of her face every few seconds. His breath tickled her ear and she tried to resist herself from reeling backwards to prevent herself from fainting due to the increased blood circulation to her cheeks.

Lastly were the warm hands. One of his hands was placed on the center of her back and the other one was holding firmly onto her hand, their fingers intertwining due to just their natural way of holding. The contact of his hand on hers kept sending tingles up her body that it made her super sensitive to anything that happened to her. Her heart pounded loudly in her chest and she wondered at all if Yahiro could feel it. She hoped he couldn't and shut her eyes. Why did I have to make such a request? Megumi thought in her head, this was going to kill her.

She couldn't bring herself to look up at Yahiro's face. It was just way too close and she feared to see a bored expression on him. Well she could at least take a little peak. His face looked a little bit flushed. Probably because we've been dancing for a while now, Megumi thought and glanced around, plus there is a rather large amount of people dancing on the floor at this party and it is a little hot.

"I'm thirsty," Megumi sighed a huge relief as the music ended and her body stopped dancing, "Can we get something to drink?"

"You're always thirsty," Yahiro commented as he put his hands down by his side and strode to the table of food with Megumi, "I think by now you've already drunk up a lake now. Now the oceans are next." He laughed.

Megumi pouted and took a sip of red wine in the glass she picked up. "Your humor is as dry as a desert Yahiro, I believe it can be as bare as the moon too."

Yahiro raised his eyebrow and picked up a glass of wine himself, "My, aren't we a bit saucy today?"

Megumi smiled and noticed two approaching figures coming towards them.

"Hello Saiga-san!" A gruff voice greeted. A man with a nicely trimmed beard and a white suit approached them and behind him followed a pretty young lady who stood tall and elegant. Her face was a pale peachy color and her eyes were kind.

"Oh, why good evening Burgers-san," Yahiro replied faking a smile and shook the man's extended hand. Megumi could definitely tell that Yahiro wasn't really into paying attention to what is to come.

"Son, this is my daughter," the man said heartedly as he gestured to his daughter.

She bowed at a perfect angle and her sleek black shimmered in the light.

"I'd like for you to meet her, I've told her a lot about you and she wanted to meet you!" The man said, "Would you care to give this lady a dance?"

Yahiro looked at the lady and back at Megumi, then to the corporal man. Megumi blinked and smiled back at the man's daughter who silently greeted Megumi with a nod of the head.

"Well…" Yahiro started off. He wasn't really into dancing. The only reason why he was dancing with Megumi was because it was another trade of hers that she wanted. She would come to the party if he danced with her on the floor. He didn't mind too much though because in any case that meant less talking to annoying corporate people. It had been awhile too since he was able to do something like this without there being any weird ill intentions behind dancing. It was enjoyable but at the moment, he just didn't feel like doing…another dance with someone else.

"Oh! My bad!" the man exclaimed as he noticed Megumi, "Is this little lady here a female companion?"

"Huh?" Yahiro responded, he wasn't really sure in companion which did he meant. Better yet, should he agree with the guy and say that she was and possibly avoid needless dancing, or should he stick to saying that they are friends? "Oh, we're…."

"We're just friends sir," Megumi replied and smiled, "we are not dating or anything."

Yahiro glanced at Megumi a little bit surprised. For the first time, she answered the question.

"Oh I reckon now that I think about it, I have seen you two together a lot in all those other parties…yeah but always friendly-like…" the man spoke and began stroking the little hairs on his chiney chin-chin. "You have a very lovely voice," the man complimented.

"Thank you," Megumi said.

"So, you want to have a dance or not?" the man returned his attention back to Yahiro.

"Oh, erm…" Yahiro looked at Megumi and then back at the bearded corporate man.

"Come on!" The man slapped Yahiro's back in a jolly manner, "One dance wouldn't hurt, and my daughter is a really good dancer too. Go for it!" He gave a little friendly shove and Yahiro stumbled forward into the man's daughter and caught her opened palm.

Megumi, Yahiro thought, an opening, provide me an opening to excuse myself! He glanced at Megumi and tried sending S.O.S waves but he was returned with silence. That darn girl was busy snacking away at the table and listening to the random man babble about his daughter and family to her. But she seemed to be ignoring everything anyways.

Doesn't she know when to diet a little? Yahiro thought partially annoyed while he prepared himself in the waltz position again.

"Shall we begin?" Yahiro plastered a smile on his face and was returned with a nod.

* * *

"Ready to leave?" Yahiro asked Megumi as she came back from the coat assistances with a soft fluffy white jacket on.

Megumi nodded and followed Yahiro out to his silver convertible. He unlocked the doors and they both climbed into the car.

After driving in silence for a couple of minutes Megumi tensed in her seat and started fidgeting quite a good bit.

"What's the matter?" Yahiro asked noticing her tiny frenzy.

"N-nothing," Megumi responded and tried to sit calmly in her seat, hands folded on her lap. She twiddled her fingers.

"What is the use of getting you that magic board if you are going to use your voice the whole time?" Yahiro said sighing as they came to a red light.

"Well…" Megumi said in a hushed nervous voice, "I kind of forgot it back at the party."

"What?" Yahiro exclaimed angrily and pulled the car over to the side.

"I-I-It's okay!" Megumi said and shrunk back into her seat, "I can always get another one later. We're too far now, and you need to get some sleep tonight. The sooner we get back the better." She tugged on Yahiro's sleeves and looked at him, "Don't worry, it's fine!"

Yahiro frowned and began to turn the car around.

"Y-Yahiro?" Megumi called out in a meek voice.

"If we don't hurry they will throw it out with the trash…" he mumbled, very focused on the road.

Megumi looked out the window and shrunk further back into her seat. She stared at the passing streetlights. Why did he care about getting her board back so much? It was just a cheap magic board; she could always get another one. It was five years old anyways, kind of old now.

But, Megumi thought with a little blush on her cheeks, it was the first present that he had ever given her during their first and only date. It was his considerate way of helping her preserve her voice and it was the item that defined how kind he actually was.

"Wait here," Yahiro ordered and quickly left before Megumi could say anything about getting it herself.

She sat and waited for ten minutes before he came out again. He seemed slightly out of breath when he returned.

Yahiro looked at Megumi and smiled, "here."

He held out her magic board.

"Wh-what took you so long?" Megumi asked and looked astonished at the board.

"I had to ask around where it was because it wasn't in the place you said that you left it at. So I had to go find one person after another and finally found it lying somewhere around in the kitchen there. I saved it from it almost being taken home." He replied and stuck out the magic board some more. "Don't just stare at it, take it!"

Megumi blinked at it and slowly grabbed it and tucked it close to her side. Yahiro got back into the car and started the engine again.

Megumi felt the smooth top of her board and touched the pen as if she hadn't seen it in ages. She closed her eyes and thought about how many times she considered getting a new board after he turned her down. Countless of times she had thought of it but she felt an attachment to it and couldn't. Every single time she held another board in the toy store she didn't feel the same warmth that she felt when it was the magic board Yahiro had given her. She constantly kept it close to her and by her side, barely ever leaving it unless she needed to talk instead of using the board.

"You better not forget your board again you butter brain," Yahiro scowled lightly as he pulled up to Megumi's house.

Megumi cradled the board close to her and looked up at Yahiro with gentleness in her eyes. "Thank you," Megumi said softly.

Yahiro sat in his seat with his arms crossed and felt himself flush a little when he heard her warm voice.

"You're a good friend Yahiro," Megumi smiled and giggled as she got out of the car. "No, perhaps the best for caring about my voice so much," she said tenderly and looked at him. "Good night Yahiro, we'll always be good friends no matter what."

Yahiro stared at Megumi and started pondering whether she still liked him. Before, he remembered, she would always redden at the sight of him, mention of him, and the touches of him. He smiled inwardly remembering all those times he saw her and snuck up on her by patting her on the shoulder. She would jump higher than a cat and blush angrily when he would just simply smile and say nothing.

Although now she five years later she blushed less when she saw him, scoff when he was mentioned, and was less nervous whenever he patted her or touched her arm.

Perhaps, perhaps he should try one more time though. All those times he didn't pay exactly one hundred percent to her reactions, but he could try it now.

"What is it?" Megumi asked and tilted her head.

Yahiro cupped Megumi's face gently and he gazed into her eyes, using the most sincere look he can muster up. He concentrated on looking for a reaction. Megumi's eyes turned wide and her cheeks were rosy for a second, but then she laughed and moved her face away.

"You're hands are really cold!" Megumi said touching her cheeks with her own hands, trying to re-heat them. "You better go home before you get sick so good night Yahiro. Go get some sleep, those bags under your eyes are making you look more like a raccoon than ever."

"Good night…" Yahiro replied and watched her walk to her front door. She waved turned around, smiled and waved before she entered into the house.

Yahiro drove back to his mansion and parked his car along with his other vast cars. As he entered into his sleeping chambers, he tossed his tie and suit off onto the green couch in his office. He fell onto his bed with a soft thud and looked up at the silk canopy.

The moon illuminated brightly into his room. The glow hit his face and he could see the shadows of the trees being cast into his room.

Friends, Yahiro thought and sighed. He did not know why, but the sound of being called a good friend greatly brought his contentment down. It never really bothered him before, but it was bugging him now.

He rolled over onto his side and closed his eyes. Maybe it bugged him at the moment because Megumi just had to over-excessively say it today. No, maybe he was just bugged in general. Her reaction…he remembered. There wasn't any long lasting blush like there was before; it was just a normal reaction to his hands being cold. There weren't any thoughts of his touch lingering anywhere in her mind.

Maybe, Yahiro frowned as an unwelcome image appeared, she was truly in love with someone else now. They were really just friends and nothing more.

But why should that be bothering him? It's not like that he was in love with her anyways. She still came by and would even if she had a lover. That's what friends do, visit and drop by to chat even if he or she already has a busy life. Their time together wouldn't change at all…yet Yahiro felt unsatisfied.

He shook his head and decided to stop all flow of thoughts to his mind. He needed sleep and sleep was what he was completely going to get tonight. The less thinking about trivial things, the faster to sleep he went.

* * *

"Okay ten minute break everyone!"

Megumi exhaled a large breath and let it out slowly. One straight hour of singing and practically no break. It was lots of fun but she felt slightly exhausted, but actually not as mentally exhausted than she was from the night before.

She slumped down onto a chair and drank water from her water bottle. The night before she had a hard time sleeping. Dancing with Yahiro and feeling his touch the whole time was driving her crazy. She resisted the whole night from turning red from head to toe and from burning with nervous excitement.

This is what happens when you still like a guy for five years. Nothing changes; it just is harder to bear with.

Then last night, last night, Megumi emphasized that thought. It left her confused and antsy, she had to confide in someone soon and that someone… Megumi stared at Hiroshi Gouda.

"Yes Megumi-Chan?" Hiroshi chuckled as he looked at Megumi who was inching her way ever so slowly to him.

Megumi jumped a little and quickly scribbled on her board, '_you did a good job singing again today Hiro-san! I'm so impressed!_'

"Why thank you," Hiro-san replied and took another sip of his water, "You did a good job too might I add myself."

'_Yes! It's such a nice day outside isn't it?_' Megumi smiled and tried to laugh.

"Yes a good sun outside again…so Megumi," Hiro-san frankly asked, "how has your love pursuits been doing? Anything fruitful?"

Megumi's heart thumped a beat. Love pursuits, hahaha, she laughed weakly in her head. Hiro-san could read her really well, was it that easy to tell what was on her mind?

'_No…not really_,' Megumi sighed.

"Did my charm not work?"

'_I'm not sure Hiro-san. I can't tell_.' Megumi replied with a jumbled expression.

"Has he been acting strange at all lately?"

Strange? Megumi pondered, well…'he did randomly grab my cheeks last night and looked at me strangely, but not really besides that.'

It took her a lot of effort from holding back her blushing that she turned away as soon as she could and walked quickly to her door that night. Yahiro was good at noticing things and she didn't want him to see this part of her at all.

"Oh…that is kind of strange," Hiro-san mused, "I don't think you should worry at all Megumi-Chan, I think my charm is working."

'_You really think so? I was thinking last night actually, what if I am preventing him from getting a girlfriend?_' Megumi bowed her head in depression.

"W-what?" Hiro-san said surprised, "Where did you get that idea?"

'_Well you see last night it seemed that there was this really beautiful girl who was the daughter of a wealthy man. It appears that this man wants his daughter to wed my…friend. And I've completely forgotten that to other people sometimes I look like his girlfriend. I'm probably thwarting his chances of finding new love. That girl looked kind of like my friend's old crush too…._'

This was mostly the thought that kept revolving around her head all last night. It is really likely that she was preventing him from getting a new love. She visits him almost everyday of the week, she was always around him during the parties when he isn't busy talking business, and she was always taking up his free time.

Hiro-san sat in silence for a moment or so. "Don't worry at all," he patted Megumi on the back, "I think you are thinking way too into it, I know that charm of mine will work. All you have to do is wait Megumi, be patient and you will see your efforts work."

'_But__--!_'

"Who is the 'love-guru' here?" Hiro-san laughed. Megumi sat and quieted down. She pointed at him and he nodded. "That's right, so trust me Megumi, he'll come around sooner or later."

Megumi nodded and sighed, '_thank you…._'

"Hey well cheer-up," Hiro-san smiled, "the concert is coming by the end of this week and you are more than prepared. Are you nervous at all?"

Megumi shook her head and brightened up at the thought of the concert. '_No! I'm very excited and I have tons more energy left to sing!_'

"Good luck Megumi, let's do our best, ne?" Hiro-san stood up and put out his hand.

Megumi returned the handshake and smiled, 'Yes, let's.' Megumi suddenly felt her pocket vibrate.

'_Sorry, excuse me for a moment_,' Megumi smiled and walked away to answer her phone.

"Yes? This is Yamamoto Megumi speaking," Megumi answered.

"…"

"Hello?"

"MEGUMI-CHAN!" the voices squealed through the phone.

Megumi held the phone away from her ear for a second and put it back again a little after, "M-mama? Is that you?"

"Yes! Papa is here next to me too!" Her mother exclaimed on the other end, "Papa, quit trying to hog the phone, I'm busy having mother and daughter talk right now." Megumi could hear her mom scolding her dad. Megumi laughed, typical mom, she's missed her parents.

"Guess what Megumi-Chan?"

"What is it Mom?"

She could hear sniggering on the other end of the line, "WE'RE IN JAPAN! We are here to especially witness your first concert! We got so excited about it and flew in a bit early!"

Megumi was surprised; they were here to especially see her? Megumi smiled, she couldn't be happier at the moment.

"Megumi! We have important things to discuss with you later." Megumi could hear her dad taking over the phone, "So we will meet later?"

"Yes okay," Megumi replied, she could hear people bustling around again. The ten-minute break was almost up. "I'll talk to you both later alright? I have to go now!"

"Okay Megumi-Chan, we love you!" –beep-

Hours later when work was finished Megumi met with her parents at a small restaurant. She received a large bear hug from her mom, tons of kisses, and a hug from her father too. They were seated in a booth and they chatted while they waited for Jun's arrival.

"Megumi…" Megumi's mother, Yamamoto Rin, started off hesitantly, "I think we should tell you now before Jun arrives. It's about the 'business' we had to talk with you about."

Megumi tilted her head and waited for more. What could they be so nervous about?

"Megumi-Chan, after the concert will you come back with us to Europe?" her mother asked, looking at Megumi with serious sincere eyes.

Megumi sat in her seat, surprised, very surprised at the sudden offer.

Her mother grabbed her hand and held it; "We want you to come tour with us around Europe." She smiled. "Megumi?"

Megumi looked down at her glass of water and started thinking it over in her head. To go to Europe… that is something she had always wanted to do for some time. Singing with Mama and Papa would be wonderful too! It would be music everyday in her life and she would get to do the thing she loved, singing.

_I__ like your singing_. Yahiro, Megumi remembered with a painful ache. That is the only one person that she would miss seeing if she left Europe. Although, maybe it is good that she leaves, maybe then Yahiro could move on with his life.

"Oh Jun!" Megumi's mother started squealing as she saw Megumi's twin walk in.

What was Megumi going to do?

* * *

Yeah this actual chapter turned out to be longer then 10,000 words so I decided since it was taking so darn long that I would insert this part as a first. :O Must get the last few thousand words done! Sorry it's taking me awhile!! Remember, just read and enjoy!


	4. Small Touches a Good Start Part 2

**Chapter 3 Part 2**

**Small Touches A Good Start**

**Disclaimer: No own. Enough said.**

**Whew! Yes I was able to finish this after quite awhile now! Here is the other 11,000 words-ish of the third chapter. Ohohoho happy reading! This is pretty much the end of the story...or is it? EHEHEH I might write a sequel to this...but I will most likely hide it in an...interesting area.**

**Thank you very much for reading it all up to now! Tell me how you think of the ending! I kind of struggled through it but I'm rather satisfied with it.**

* * *

"You sang beautifully again today at the party Yamamoto Megumi," Yahiro smiled and stopped the car in front of her house, "Your concert is coming up by the end of this week too, I bet you're nervous." He smiled too brightly.

'_Me? Nervous?_' Megumi smiled and glanced to the side, eyes away averted from his lavender ones. She clutched her magic board, how is she going to say it to him?

'_No, I'm not very nervous at all_.'

"Oh? But you're all fidgety again today," Yahiro smirked and propped his elbow onto the side of his window. "You only get fidgety when you're nervous about something."

'_What? I do not!_' Megumi denied and started swishing a curly strand of her hair.

"So you don't…" Yahiro raised an eyebrow and watched Megumi play with her hair. Megumi noticed him watching her and realized her fingers moving on their own. She sighed and stopped playing with her hair.

"Tell me Megumi," Yahiro said semi-aloofly, hand tapping the steering wheel, "what is it this time?"

Megumi gulped, she can't delay the inevitable. She had to tell him at some time and the time was most likely now. She sighed and felt her heart drop. After she said it, things would change and it would be for the better most likely. If she didn't tell him now, then she feared that on the day she left Yahiro would never know at all. She would silently slip out of his life and barely ever see him again. She didn't want that, she at the least wanted him to know, maybe…even hold her back from going.

"Megumi?" Yahiro poked her cheek, "Earth to Megumi. Your refrigerator is running, I think you should come back down to Earth."

Megumi jumped and scribbled on her board, 'you idiot! That isn't going to fool me!'

"So Megumi, you keep spacing out," Yahiro said a hint of worried appeared in his voice, "Is this about the concert?"

'_No_,' Megumi shook her head, '_It's…it's after the concert_.'

"What is happening after the concert?" Yahiro asked. Did it have anything to do with that guy she was going to sing with? Yahiro coughed and pushed that thought out, well if it did it had nothing to do with him.

"It's…" Megumi put her board down and looked at Yahiro with mixed emotions in her eyes, "My parents want me to tour Europe with them after the concert is completely over."

Yahiro stared at Megumi in disbelief for a brief second. He cast his eyes away and stared out into the sky above them. She was going to tour Europe?

"They are staying here for a week or so and leaving next week and they want me to come along." Megumi continued on, she tucked her magic board under her arm. She was waiting for a response from Yahiro, a hopeful response. She looked at him and noticed that he was looking at the large round full moon.

It glowed and outshined everything around it. Megumi gulped, she realized that her hopes and wishes were probably the tiniest things in the world compared to the moon and stars.

After a passing of silence Yahiro spoke quietly, "Europe is a pretty far from Japan isn't it?"

Europe seemed like a great place for Megumi to go, Yahiro solemnly thought, there would be more chances at her career and she could meet so many more people that were better than just him. There are even guys who are even more passionate about music than she was that she could relate to, Yahiro bitterly added in the back of his mind.

Yahiro turned his head and smiled. This was a good opportunity for her, "Good luck Megumi. As a 'good friend' I know that you will do very well in Europe," Yahiro said. "Just don't stuff yourself with too many snacks that France has to offer, or the chocolates in Germany. I don't want to see you looking like a whale when you come back to visit Japan."

Megumi's heart sunk and so did her head. He didn't want to hold her back at all. But then again, of course not, Saiga Yahiro was not dependant or in any way needed her at all. He was the strong, boastful, standoffish, and cunning heir of the rising billion-dollar corporation.

Somewhere deep in her heart though she was hoping for this 'good-bye' to be tearful. Well, not so much crying that she hoped for, but just not to be just as plain as day this, a regular response.

"Gah!" Megumi muttered out and slapped her a face a little, she wasn't going to be like this. Now there were only a few days before the concert and she needed full energy for it.

"Don't hit yourself over this," Yahiro laughed, "It was just a joke. You won't look so much like a whale, probably more like a baby whale."

Megumi glared at Yahiro. "Who said I was coming back?" She said and pointed straight into his face, "and to visit you, to be more specific."

Yahiro pushed her finger away and threw his nose up into the air and chuckled.

"I did." He replied simply, "Because I can."

Megumi rolled her eyes and stepped out of the car. She shut the car door and held up her board to the window and it read: _When pigs can fly_.

"I'll make sure to have _lots of fun_," Megumi tried to smile a little deviously and waved to Yahiro.

Yahiro smirked in response and watched Megumi walk back to her home once more. Maybe the last time he would ever drive her home before she left for Europe. Yahiro stared at the empty street in front of him and frowned. What a lonely moon, he thought as the tiny planet came into view.

* * *

"Saiga-san," a worker of the Saiga Corporation asked, "what do you think of this plan?"

Yahiro snapped out daze and returned back to looking at the paper currently in his hand. It had been two days since he last saw the tiny brunette singer and it was two more days until her concert. During the meeting his mind started drifting off and he began to wonder what the little brunette was doing. Without knowing it himself, his mind wondered further and further that he barely noticed the worker in front of him calling his for his attention.

"…Yes," Yahiro replied, "this one is fine." He passed the paper onto another worker and he received another one in return.

After an hour or so of discussion, the meeting ended and Yahiro quickly walked downstairs to meet his temporary driver waiting for him at the lobby.

"Let's go," Yahiro commanded and got into the shiny black corvette.

Hours later into paperwork at home, Yahiro found himself browsing around on the Internet randomly while looking at the market prices.

He scrolled down as he yawned in boredom. Then suddenly his fingers froze and he stared at the large picture on the screen.

Megumi…Yahiro thought as he gazed at the picture, his eyes softening without himself knowing it. His eyes traced her hair and features as he made his way up to her eyes. They glowed and sparkled with innocence, and her small little smile made him feel calm.

There a large promotional picture of Megumi was placed in the middle of his screen. Her gesture was so innocent that her body sang songs itself, which was drawing Yahiro closer to stop his work altogether. He felt tempted to go see Yamamoto Megumi and watch her stupid reactions and to hear her trying to say a cunning comeback with her voice. He was tempted to run over to her house right now even though it the middle of the night.

Yahiro sighed and shook his head and leaned back in his chair. He couldn't go and do that. It was two days before her big concert and she was bound to be busy. Besides, Yahiro thought, he had work to do himself. Even if he showed up at Megumi's house, there would be no point in it at all. There wasn't a good reason as to why he would be there.

His eyes returned back to the picture of Megumi on the laptop screen. Yahiro closed his eyes and inhaled. When she left for Europe, would he be seeing more pictures like these on the net?

* * *

"Everyone!" Hikari exclaimed happily and ran into a group of people. She waved her arms excitedly and greeted her S.A. friends.

"Hikari!" Akira squealed and hugged Hikari tightly, "I'm so happy to see that you are out of the clutches of that evil, evil man!" Hikari sweat dropped and laughed hoarsely as she gasped for air.

"Evil man?" Kei smiled as he approached the S.A too, "or do you mean woman?"

Akira hissed at Kei and ducked from his reach as he attempted to grab Hikari away from Akira.

"AKI-RA," Hikari finally croaked, "Air! Air!"

"Oops," Akira giggled and let Hikari go, "sorry!" She turned and glared at Kei, "Look at what you made me do! You almost choked my poor Hikari to death!"

"Akira," Tadashi smiled at his raging fiancé, "Look over here."

Akira turned her head and a finger met her cheek.

"Poke," Tadashi laughed, "you fell for it!"

Akira growled and began to chase Tadashi around. She cursed him that she would hunt him down and slaughter him to feed to the fish in the ocean.

"What's up?" Yahiro relaxingly walked into the scene, hands in his pocket and standing aloofly. Everyone turned their heads at the two to-be-married couple and silence went by for a moment or two.

"How about we all go and see Megumi's concert now before all the seats are gone?" Ryuu suggested and smiled. Everyone else nodded and proceeded into the large open-aired concert hall.

It was large and seats wrapped around the stage on all sides. The area was circular and far down below was the stage that Megumi would be appearing on. The noise of chattering people could be heard and there was barely any color of seating that could be seen as many people filled into the place.

The S.A. members took a row of special seats reserved by Megumi and chatted amongst each other as they waited for the lights to dim.

"Wow," Sakura breathed out as she looked around herself, "This place is so cool! Don't you agree Jun-kun? Plus the prince of all ballads is singing! He has such a sexy voice, oh but not as sexy as you Jun!" She added and gave a tap to Jun's nose.

Jun blushed. He nodded quickly and tried to sit back relaxingly in his chair. "I can't wait to see Megumi too," Jun added enthusiastically.

Sakura smiled and agreed excitedly, "yeah! I wonder if she'll be wearing anything super glamorous. I bet she'll be really good, right Yahiro?" She nudged the young peeved Saiga-heir.

Yahiro felt very sleepy and for an 'air-conditioned' area, it didn't feel very cool at all. He felt rather hot in his attire and felt the desperate need to sleep. But he couldn't do it today, it was finally the concert that he and Megumi had been waiting for and he had to watch her today. On top of that, it had been four days now in total since he last seen her.

He crossed his arms and chewed on his lips. He couldn't believe himself that he, Yahiro, caught himself more than just a few times feeling tempted to visit Megumi. Not only that he was tempted, it was like his body wanted to go see her. He couldn't figure out why. Was it because she was going to leave soon and that he was already beginning to miss her? Or was it because he was just constantly bored. In any case, Yahiro huffed; it wasn't as if he was dependant on her or anything.

"Yahiro?" Sakura questioned as she stared at him, "You seem to be rather antsy today. Could it be?" Sakura smiled deviously, "Could it be that you are really excited to see our Megumi-Chan in glitter?"

Yahiro grunted and shot Sakura a killer smirk, "Well if you were stuck in days and days of paperwork and meetings with barely any time to rest at all, and have gone about…oh hmm, maybe two nights without a good sleep, and running on caffeine right now, tell me you wouldn't be antsy?"

Sakura laughed and sweat dropped, "Yeah…guess so." She scooted up against Jun and made some distance between her and Yahiro. "He's so grumpy when he's tired!" Sakura complained at Jun, "Remind me to never try waking him up in the morning."

"Look! Everyone!" Hikari pointed out obviously, "Megumi is coming out!"

Yahiro looked towards the stage and his eyes widened as she was raised on a platform. Fans and the audience cheered around him, but he his ears blocked out the noise as he heard Megumi's singing voice.

Megumi smiled as she sung a sweet slow melody. She wore a long fluffy yellow dress that cascaded down the platform, and her hair was decorated with a large sunflower that was pinned to the side of her head. She wore cotton gloves and the lights glittered on her. Yahiro closed his eyes and began to intake the music into his ears. She may have been dressed fancily but what mattered more to him was her voice, the sweet sound of her delicate voice.

The S.A. watched through the whole show. Hiroshi came out right after Megumi and then later they combined songs. At every end of the song, the audience would cheer their heads off and suddenly screw them back on as soon as another song started as if they never said anything in the first place.

As the concert was nearing towards the end, Yahiro could feel himself getting more anxious. The last song was sung and everyone cheered, the concert ended in a wonderful manner and the lights came back up.

The group left the stage area and towards backstage quickly, ushered by Akira and Hikari. They waited for Megumi to come out, but being surrounded by reporters the group waited idly by as they watched Hiroshi, Megumi, and the others answering questions.

Megumi smiled and answered each one that came at her. After five minutes she felt herself getting tired and woozy from the flashing lights and noise. It was getting a bit too much for her. As she tried answering the last question that was given to her, she attempted to bow and leave to join her friends. She was excited to see them and she desperately wanted to greet them.

Megumi was about to bounce happily to them but she was stopped by one particularly annoying question that everyone decided to bombard her on.

"Yamamoto-san! Rumors says that you are having an affair with the hot Hiroshi Gouda, is that true?"

What? There was a rumor about her? Megumi thought annoyingly.

Yahiro's ears perked up and he shot a glance towards Megumi's direction.

"I--!" Megumi tried to answer, but the noises the people were making were drowning her answer out. They were all too excited and kept repeating the question over and over again.

Megumi glanced around for help, her stupid magic board she realized, she accidentally left it in the dressing room and she didn't feel like talking any louder than she already had.

Hiro-san noticed and began to make his way to her.

"It's not true," a voice announced, annoyed, and dragged Megumi away, "she doesn't even look old enough to date yet."

"Wh-what?" people exclaimed and started freaking out around them. They were confused and began another uproar. "Saiga Yahiro? What is he doing here?"

The whole S.A. group sweat dropped and proceeded to push through the crowd to follow Yahiro and Megumi to the dressing room.

Who the hell? Megumi screamed in her mind, great another 'rumor' and now this time even more stupid! She followed the hand up to her 'savior's face and her eyes opened wide-eyed and dumbly.

"Yahiro?" Megumi exclaimed as she was led back to the dressing room.

"What is the use of the board if you're going to use your voice?" Yahiro interrupted Megumi's explosion.

Megumi paused for a second and grabbed her board from the make-up table and scribbled on it furiously.

'_Yahiro! You idiot! What do you mean I don't look old enough to date?_' Megumi held it up for him to see. '_Now you're going to confuse the reporters and now there will be more rumors about me!_'

Yahiro smirked and shrugged, "Who cares about rumors? At least you're saved from using your voice more than you need to."

Megumi stopped her furious writing and held her board still. She looked up at Yahiro with large eyes, he was thinking about me? She thought. Megumi smiled and looked down; yes always count on Yahiro for being there to care about her voice when no one else noticed her struggle.

Yahiro watched Megumi's small lips curve up into a gentle smile. He felt his heart beat a pump or two and his face grew warm. Yahiro coughed and crossed his arms. "You sang very, very beautifully today." He meant it.

"Th-thank y—"

"MEGUMI-CHAN!" the door swung open and Akira came running in. She hugged Megumi and Megumi muffled a 'Akira!' against her chest.

Akira giggled embarrassingly and let go of Megumi. Megumi took a step back and happily greeted everyone in the S.A. She received compliments and many pats on the back from her friends and a high-excited comment from Hikari

"Thank you all very much for coming to see me!" Megumi smiled and looked down on the floor shyly. She was happy to know that everyone cared for her and made room in their busy schedules to come.

"Anything for Megumi-Chan!" Hikari responded happily.

"This calls for a tea—" Akira began only to be interrupted by Tadashi.

"How about we go out for drinking?" Tadashi exclaimed excitedly, he was up for some nighttime fun. "How about it?"

"As a celebration? Sure let's do it!" Hikari agreed.

"What?" Akira gasped, "Drinking! Tadashi you buffoon!" She grabbed Tadashi's ear and tugged it with her ferocious fingers.

"How about we invite Hiroshi Gouda too?" Sakura input.

"Oh! Sounds like fun, can we Megumi, can we?" Hikari asked Megumi, her eyes big and wide. "Yahiro, you can come too if you like!"

Yahiro flinched and look hesitantly at Megumi.

Drinking? Megumi thought and sweat dropped, she wasn't a good drinker and alcohol wasn't really the best ideal thing for her voice.

"There will be karaoke involved!" Sakura smiled and nudged Megumi.

Megumi's eyes opened widely and they sparkled with enthusiasm. Karaoke? She loved karaoke!

'_Yes!_' Megumi wrote on her board and began leaving with everyone out the door. The paparazzi were already dying down and they were all nearly gone. She turned around and wrote on her board. 'Come on Yahiro, you come too!' She smiled.

Yahiro sighed and put his hand on his face, "You get bribed easily don't you."

* * *

Guzzling down another shot of liquor, Yahiro sighed and leaned back on the couch to observe the scene around him.

"I'm officially out," Yahiro said and realized he slurred those words.

"It's only me and you left, number two," Kei smirked as he proceeded to drink the next glass.

"I won't loosh to you," Hikari stumbled through her words and started on the next one.

"I bet you won't even get to thirty glasses," Kei said.

"I'll show you pretty boy!" Hikari exclaimed and started on her twenty-seventh glass, "I'm not even drunk yet!"

For some reason he just had to get caught in this contest. Hikari, of course, being the girl she was just had to challenge Kei to another challenge. Yes, a drinking challenge. Who could drink the most shots without passing out. Winner gets to do whatever they want with the person they choose and loser must obey. Well of course because it sounded like so much fun, everyone just had to join in too. Excluding Megumi and Hiroshi of course.

Yahiro was the last outer participant in the race, but after that last shot he couldn't take it anymore. It was his twenty-fifth glass and he was getting really, really…slushy. Drinking beer was never really his thing; he was always more of a wine and vodka person.

"Look," Tadashi giggled and pointed to Yahiro's face, "he's getting really, really drunk."

"Shuddup," Yahiro muttered and attempted to slap Tadashi's finger away. He missed horribly and ended up only knocking a plate of chips to the side and causing the plate to tip over a bit. Tadashi laughed and then proceeded to attempt singing a song dedicated to Akira and his bike. He stumbled over most of his words, but he was able to accurately sing loudly.

"Good one!" Hikari laughed loudly and patted Yahiro very firm on the back as Yahiro's stupidity distracted her. "Drink up!" She cheered and grabbed a glass of alcohol and proceeded to force it down Yahiro's throat.

Yahiro chugged every drop rather painfully and took a large gasp of air when he was finally released of Hikari's death hold and harsh feeding hand. He coughed and slumped back into his seat and wiped his mouth.

"Bleh…" he grimaced loudly.

Hikari laughed and immediately snapped a growl at Kei as soon as she heard him say something about losing.

Yahiro became silent and began watching Tadashi making a fool out of himself. During his singing though, Yahiro couldn't help but in his drunken state stare at Megumi sitting further down the couch. She had a light beer with her and she was busy choosing a song through the songbook.

It bothered him to see her sing the next song. It wasn't because he disliked her voice, it was because the 'prince-of-all-ballads' was singing right next to her. Not just only singing though, after they were done with a song, Megumi would return back to the song book and show it to Hiroshi on what song she wanted to sing next. He would gladly oblige and was constantly all smiley with Megumi.

A few hours later the party was over and everyone was standing outside parting ways again.

"Yoo-hoo?" Sakura waved her hand in front of Yahiro's face, "Yahiro are you there?"

Yahiro looked at Sakura and stared blankly.

"Ohoho," Sakura laughed lazily, "I can't believe it! The great Saiga-sama is a silent drunk! You're really quiet! I mean, I haven't heard you say a whole word this night!"

"Will you be able to get home safely tonight?" Kei asked with Hikari slung over his shoulder. Kei of course won the match and having a high tolerance level of infinity he was able to think clearly still.

Yahiro nodded and quietly stood there, possibly waiting for something to happen.

"Megumi, can you do us all a favor and help Yahiro back home?" Kei asked Megumi quietly, "I don't think he is actually going to be able to make it back tonight without wondering off somewhere and everyone is kind of already hands full with the other one already pretty drunk."

'_What?!_' Megumi wrote on her board and frantically looked around for some help. She looked at Akira who was happily leaning on Tadashi.

"Thanksh Megoomi-Shaan," Akira said and waved.

Even Akira was drunk! Megumi thought a little gloomily. Bringing back a drunk Yahiro, Megumi thought a little bit frightened, she had never had this experience before. Hopefully it will be an easy one.

Everyone said goodbye to each other, or tried to and people parted ways, including Hiroshi Gouda. He actually left somewhere a little bit before the party ended. He had business to attend to the next day and he needed rest.

Jun and Sakura actually decided that night that they were going to go to Sakura's. Why, Megumi didn't want to know but she nodded and waved goodbye to them too. Their lives, Megumi thought.

Megumi turned and looked at Yahiro; he seemed fine to her so far. I don't think he's that drunk, Megumi thought as she approached him.

"Come on Yahiro, it's time to go now," Megumi said hesitantly. For some reason he was looking straight at her and it was making her a little nervous. His eyes were fixed onto something and he was gazing deeply at it.

"Y-Yahiro?" Megumi stuttered in surprise as Yahiro started stroking her hair and smiled stupidly. Then he stopped and suddenly swooped Megumi into a hug.

"I'm so dizzy," he mumbled.

"W-what are you doing?" Megumi asked and blushed. She waited for a few moments for an answer and she didn't hear any. "Yahiro?" She waited again.

Megumi heard a tiny snore and realized that he fell asleep on her.

"Mou! Stupid jerk, wake up! How am I supposed to get you home if you are going to sleep on me?" Megumi said, slightly starting to lean backward due to Yahiro's heavy weight overtaking her puny body.

"I don't want to go home," Yahiro muttered quietly.

"You're going home," Megumi firmly stated.

"No."

"Yes."

"I forgot my keys."

"Liar!"

"Do you want to check my pockets for them?" Yahiro smugly said from Megumi's shoulder, "I think if you dig really deep you'll eventually find…something."

Megumi paused and blushed, that meant she had to reach into his pants and check around for them, and what did he mean by that 'something'? Megumi shuddered and shook her head.

Megumi sighed annoyingly and finally gave in, "Fine! You can sleep at my house for only tonight! That's only so you can wake up and I can tell you how stupidly drunk you were being the night before." For some reason talking to him at the moment felt like dealing with a child.

"Okay!" Yahiro replied happily and threw his arms up, "Let's go!"

Megumi watched Yahiro cautiously as she called a cab for them. He was definitely drunk, she could tell that for sure, but a silent drunk? She doubted that a little.

Ten minutes later the cab stopped in front of Megumi's house.

"Yahiro," Megumi shook the slumbering lavender haired heir, "wake up."

Yahiro continued to sleep heavily on Megumi's shoulder and Megumi could see in the rearview mirror that the cab driver was getting impatient.

"Urgh," Megumi huffed a minute later as she carried Yahiro into her house. She dragged him up the stairs and stopped at the top of the step to recover some air when all of a sudden Yahiro decided at that moment to wake up again.

He stood up and sleepily wandered into Megumi's room and plopped down onto her bed.

Megumi quickly followed Yahiro and tried shaking Yahiro awake again.

"This isn't where you get to sleep tonight Yahiro!" Megumi shook uselessly, "you will be sleeping in Jun's room tonight."

Yahiro inhaled and smiled with his eyes closed, "smells likes Megumi."

Megumi blushed and shook her head to recover. This isn't the time to be getting embarrassed when the guy you like is drunk and possibly on the verge of throwing up on your nice sheets.

"You pervert!" Megumi said and persisted to tug on Yahiro's arm, "Get up, this wasn't part of the deal."

Finally, Megumi thought with relief as she saw Yahiro sit up on her bed with a pout on his face.

"There are clothes in Jun's room you can—eep!" Megumi yelped in surprise as Yahiro pulled her down and proceeded to trap her in his arms.

"W-w-what are you doing?" Megumi asked nervously and could feel herself blushing red. She had never experienced being physically this close to the young heir before.

"I never knew you were so soft before Me-gu-mi-Chan!" Yahiro purred happily while shifting his position, digging Megumi deeper into the bed.

"Yahiro," Megumi was barely able to keep her voice in a normal tone, a drunk Yahiro was so much stranger than she imagined, and "You're crushing me."

Too far, Megumi thought as she reached her arm out in attempt to grab her magic board, why am I so short? She planned to use that to knock him out cold, but that mode of escape was not possible. She couldn't even move her arms very well because Yahiro's body was crushing her.

Yahiro took another deep breath of scent from Megumi's hair and sighed. "I always sleep the best when I smell this near me," Yahiro muttered and Megumi froze as she felt his throat vibrate against her back, "You know, after you leave my house late at night during those times you helped me relax or sleep…I always return to that couch you sat on and I lie there for sometime, always taking in the scent of you. It always relaxes me and helps me dream nicer things at night. I never had one nightmare again after you said you loved me," Yahiro sighed contentedly.

Megumi was thankful that she was faced away from Yahiro because whether he was drunk or not he would be able to tell that her face was ablaze at the moment. She had no idea that Yahiro did that and she never knew that he had it in him to do those kinds of things, but for some reason it flattered her very much and made her feel special inside.

"Of course I never returned your feelings," Yahiro chuckled, "because I reaaally, really didn't feel anything for you all!"

Megumi frowned and replied with annoyance, "It's okay because I have others that care for me and love me! That's enough for me!"

"Like that sappy singer?" Yahiro grunted, "He may have a great face, a wonderful attitude, and a sexy voice, but he is way too old for you Megumi."

"He's only thirty years old!" Megumi replied, "And I never said I wanted to date him, Yahiro I think you are way too drunk to be thinking straight right now." He's such a chatterbox too, Megumi thought annoyingly, a drunk chatty girl. Megumi couldn't believe that she was actually having somewhat of a conversation with him. She needed to be more focused on getting him off her and getting him to sleep in Jun's room. "Go sleep in Jun's room! I'm way too young to have older men in my bed, like you said!"

"But we're 'good friends', as you like putting it so much," Yahiro whined a little, "and good friends let each other sleep in each other's beds. I like this one too, so I'm not moving."

"Fine!" Megumi tried to struggle free of his hold, "Then I'm going to sleep in Jun's room." Megumi attempted to get up and get out of her bed. She was only able to lift her legs and head up, but couldn't get the rest of her body to comply. Yahiro tightened his grip around Megumi and pulled her closer and buried himself deeper.

"Yahiro!" Megumi said, repeating her struggle again.

"…."

"Yahiro I need to get up," Megumi whined.

"Don't leave me alone," Yahiro moaned softly.

Megumi ceased her struggling and looked at Yahiro. She couldn't figure out whether this was the alcohol talking or really Yahiro talking. Her heart was happy at the sudden claim he made, yet it was heavy for not knowing if he was talking to her or not. He buried his face into the crook of her neck and she could smell the heavy mixed scent of his cologne and beer together. What was he thinking? Megumi wondered as she began to adjust herself on the bed a little.

Her waist and arms immediately felt slight pressure again and she couldn't move.

"Yahiro?" Megumi spoke quietly. She waited for a response and when she heard none, she spoke again, "Yahiro are you awake?"

Megumi could feel the slow rise and fall of his chest. The room was silent and the only sound that she could faintly hear was the 'tick-tick' of her tiny clock that sat on her desk. There was not any other sounds other than that besides the nervous breathing of her own lungs and the loud thuds of her heart and the deep breathing of the man that was topped over her.

What? Megumi thought worriedly, he couldn't have fallen asleep so quickly. I can't go to sleep like this! Megumi screamed in her head.

"Yahiro?" Megumi called desperately.

"…uhu, you think you can use your voice to me?" a deep sadistic voice came out.

"Yahiro?" Megumi said with more hope.

"I am the great Lord Yahiro…" he muttered incoherently and smacked his lips, "make me tempura udon…slave."

He really is asleep! Megumi thought alarmed. Megumi heaved a large sigh and closed her eyes. Great! The man I like is crushing me on my own bed, reeks of drunk, and is dreaming about me doing his bidding. I'm not going to get any sleep tonight.

* * *

Bright sun that is an extremely powerful ray of light that shone through even the tiniest of cracks. So powerful that it could wake a human up from any deep slumbering he or she had.

A burning sensation, which is most known to happen when one is buried under a lot of covers and heated up with extreme temperatures. Sometimes sharing it with a fuzzy companion or another human may bring it to this extreme.

To sleep in a comfy spot between the spaces of a sleeping man. It was most often considered nice and makes a person feel protected. Only happens when two people have decided to invade each other's personal space. Well except for Megumi's case. She didn't decide, it just happened.

Megumi's eyes snapped open. Her hair was sprawled out behind her and her hands were numb from herself sleeping on them. Megumi yawned and shifted in her semi-comfy position. She could re-call a bit of discomfort in her sleep from the other night, but for the most part her sleep was very comfy. Well everything was comfy except for the really hot heat that was on her head and the constant breathing that she felt tingling the hairs on her neck. The warm breaths heated her skin so hot that it was beginning to push her a little bit to the side of discomfort.

Megumi shifted around a little bit more and she realized that she wasn't sleeping on a pillow. It took her a second to register the person that slept right beside her, for the lavender hair and fair complexion seemed all too much of a dream to her.

Yahiro! Megumi thought nervously in her mind and her heart began to beat loudly in her chest. What was he doing in her bed so early in the morning? Megumi closed her eyes and tried to remember. Yes, that's right he was drunk and he refused to leave! Megumi thought haughtily, which left her in an uncomfy state of mind for the majority of the night!

"Yahi-" Megumi began, but she paused in mid scolding as she heard a small cough erupt from the bottom of the young sleeping heir's throat.

Coughing? Megumi thought, he couldn't be…. Megumi took a hand and felt his forehead. It was burning and he was sweating. Megumi quickly pulled her hand away and couldn't believe it, Yahiro couldn't be sick now? She touched her forehead against his and checked for the temperature once more.

Abnormal, Megumi thought, beyond normal human temperature.

Yahiro coughed once more and weakly opened his eyes, "Why is it so bright in this room? It feels like someone decided to light a fire outside and didn't think that anyone would mind about it."

Megumi opened her eyes widely as Yahiro gazed straight into her eyes.

"G-g-good morning," Megumi stuttered out. It was all that she could manage at the moment.

"Hello…" Yahiro replied and fluttered his eyes closed again. He coughed again and uncomfortably moved around in his spot. "It's really hot in your room Megumi…. Wait a minute," Yahiro said as he sat up instead, "What am I doing here?" He looked around the room and his eyes traveled back to Megumi in a mix of disgust and surprise, well a mock of it.

"It couldn't be," Yahiro gasped, "Megumi, were you trying to take advantage of me?" Megumi immediately tensed up and felt the angry need to take a pillow and bash it against this arrogant man's face.

Yahiro smirked and leaned back onto the backboard of her bed. "You know, there are many women who want me, but there are only a few that are actually daring enough to go this far," Yahiro said and brushed his hair up and looked at Megumi with sparkles glistening in his eyes, "I know that I'm so beautiful that it is hard to hold back, but Megumi please try to keep your animalistic side to a minimal."

"Yahiro, how much time do you need to digest liquor?" Megumi exclaimed holding the pillow over her head. Her cheeks were red and Yahiro smirked but started coughing again.

Megumi slowly let go of the pillow and crawled forward to feel Yahiro's forehead again. Yahiro gasped a little at the sudden contact, he blinked and wonder why he was feeling so touchy recently.

"You're sick," Megumi confirmed worriedly.

"I'm not sick," Yahiro denied. He turned his head away and got out of the bed. He slid out from the warm blanket and shivered at the cold breeze he felt across his sweaty back.

"Yes you are!" Megumi repeated again, "You shouldn't overwork your body anymore than you already have."

Yahiro shook his head and laughed, "I feel fine," he coughed between words. Megumi stared at him with large firm eyes, the words flying from her were saying, 'I don't believe you.'

"Well," Yahiro huffed, "even if I am sick, I have work to do and don't you do too?"

"It's a Sunday," Megumi pointed out, "that concert was only a one night event."

"Fine, well I still have things to do so if you excuse me—" Yahiro took a step and stumbled forward. He caught himself using the edge of Megumi's bed and he touched his head. I feel so lightheaded, Yahiro thought dazedly.

Megumi quickly got up and supported Yahiro by the shoulders.

"Please Yahiro, go rest," Megumi said gently.

Yahiro scrunched up his face, why did she always have to care so much? She was leaving soon to another country anyways and he couldn't keep relying on her kindness so much.

"You're burning up Yahiro! Go rest now," Megumi said feebly again.

"You can't make me," Yahiro smirked and stared at her petite face staring up determinedly at him.

"If you don't go right back to the bed now I will use my deadly sonic power on you!" Megumi threatened and began pushing Yahiro to her bed. Yahiro's eyes grew wide and he gulped. Ouch, getting his eardrums pierced early in the morning, Yahiro obeyed and grudgingly got back into Megumi's bed.

Megumi smiled and grabbed her board from her table and preceded to write, '_that's a good boy_.'

Yahiro scowled and rolled his eyes. It has been a long time since he had been sick and even then he hadn't been treated like this.

'_Rest for now okay? I'll call your servants to come and pick you up,_'

"They are all on vacation."

'_What about the temporaries?_'

"Because I was supposed to be away from the house the whole day, meeting people, none of them are actually going to show up."

'_So no one is home?_'

"Nope."

'_Not even Chitose?_'

"He's with my parents for now."

Megumi smiled brightly and tilted her head innocently, '_T__oo bad for you Yahiro, I'm going to be taking care of you today then! Do you like porridge?_"

Yahiro stared at Megumi, "Megumi…have you ever cooked before?"

Megumi smiled and nodded. She held up three fingers and her board, '_I can make three things! Rice, eggs, and sandwiches! Porridge shouldn't be too hard?_'

Yahiro gulped and stared wide-eyed at Megumi, "no, it's okay I'll just rest for awhile and go home later…."

'_No!_' Megumi frowned and pointed to the bed, '_what you are going to do later is stay in that bed and rest until your nose and brain isn't feeling all messed up. If you don't want to obey me you will feel the wrath of my voice_.'

Yahiro gulped and leaned back into the bed, no not the noise, he thought dreadfully. As if his ears weren't ringing enough from the headache he was feeling too.

"Fine," Yahiro muttered, "Porridge please."

'_Don't make that face Yahiro_,' Megumi said and blushed as she brought up a memory from last night, she intended to use this against him, '_At least you get to sleep in the bed that you refused to leave last night._'

Yahiro stayed silent and averted his eyes away from Megumi and stared at the floor. He did remember that and he could recall feeling really loopy after drinking. Then he started recalling all the other things he did last night too. Yahiro began to blush and then proceeded to cough in order to distract his mind.

"I'm sick Megumi," Yahiro whined as he lied down onto the bed, "I can't believe you're trying to pick on me when I'm so weak like this."

'_You--!_' Megumi had on her board but faltered to write the rest. She sighed and plastered a smile on her face again. Megumi patted the blankets down and wrote on her board, '_Okay, you have to sleep for now Yahiro. I'll wake you up when I'm done with the porridge._'

Yahiro made some kind of muffled noise under the covers that could be translated as 'it's okay' but Megumi shrugged and left the room to leave him to rest.

Five minutes later Yahiro pulled the covers off his face and stared at Megumi's white ceiling. Funny, Yahiro thought as his eyes glanced around her room. Starting from her plain looking desk and trailing across her random miniature decorations and all the way to her wardrobe and back to the ceiling, Yahiro was surprised on how interesting the place Megumi's private spot was. This is actually one of the first times I have actually been in here…Yahiro thought.

He noticed an interesting array of charms hanging on the wall space above her desk.

'_Love_' said half of them, and the other half said, '_Good life_.'

So Megumi was into those kinds of things, Yahiro thought amusedly. He wondered how much hope Megumi actually put in those charms. He could imagine her squeezing each charm in her hand and praying everyday that maybe the love god would shine his good fortune for her that day. Did they even work though?

Yahiro stared at the ceiling again and he sighed. They probably did not work one bit if those charms were meant towards him. After all they haven't progressed anywhere relationship wise since five years ago.

Yahiro turned on his side and stared out the window and into the blue sky. They have gone nowhere at all…Yahiro thought as he saw a plane fly by in the distance. They have been friends this whole time and not one of them have budged from their position. But now, now Megumi will be going to another country.

Away for a while, Yahiro kept thinking. He frowned and felt his heart thud painfully in a slow way as he thought the very fact that Megumi was not going to be there anymore.

He shook his head and tried to force a smile to himself, it wasn't as if he had any reason to hold her back from her dreams. Plus if Megumi went to another place then she could continue on with a love life that she had always been yearning for.

Not with some jerk that had rejected her more than once before. Yahiro sighed and scratched his head, why did she still stick with such a jerk like him all this time? There weren't any refining qualities about him that a woman would truly love him for. Sure he was nice time to time, looked good, and has super-wealth, but he was constantly teasing and making fun of her most of the time. What kind of woman would like to be reminded of her bad trait everyday?

Megumi could take it though, the thought echoed in Yahiro's mind. Not only could she take his mean side, she saw through them and showed kindness to him back despite his bad self. Then she fell in love with him and tried to offer him a chance to try getting back into the life of love again.

For five years she had been open to him all the time, and after so long Yahiro wasn't surprised that she was getting tired of waiting for his feelings to return hers. He was actually more surprised that she could wait for him that long instead.

But, Yahiro's sighed, his place on her heart was slowly beginning to slip from its spot. His smile fell and was replaced with a frown.

He closed his eyes and tried to remember the lullaby that she would always sing to him the most.

That voice, that sweet sound he was going to miss. The one sound that was able to put him to ease no matter what kind of stress he was feeling, or what kind of loneliness he felt. He hummed what he could remember at first, but he stopped and wondered how long it will take until he forgot the original sound that he could hear in his head.

A little sense of emptiness trickled into his heart.

Yahiro coughed and felt his cheeks get red as he tried to shift his mind into a different thought, last night. He remembered that he admitted he loved the smell of her, and it wasn't only just in words, he wholly took her hair and smelled it too. Now it surrounded him and engulfed his whole nose in it.

Yahiro rolled onto his stomach and inhaled deeply. The scent of sakura blossom and all of Megumi's other scents filled his nose and mind. A feeling of warmth filtered itself back into his chest and he felt his eyes start to droop as he coughed again. Her bed is so warm…Yahiro thought just before he dozed off.

What a warm hand, Yahiro thought in his sleep comfortably. So nice, he arched into it as the bits of a dark dream he was having began to fade. It was so warm before Yahiro thought as he felt the heavy weight of a blanket being lifted away from him. He opened his eyes, feeling the air filtering into his warm sleeping spot and making him shiver.

"Megumi…" Yahiro whispered. He attempted to lift his head, but it was heavy and he couldn't tell which way was up or down. Yahiro smelled the air and scrunched his nose. It was the smell of food and he could feel his stomach doing uncomfortable rolls inside.

Megumi smiled and took a wet cloth and wiped Yahiro's forehead with it. She put it back down into the bowl sitting next to the bed. Megumi smiled happily and grabbed the tray of food that was waiting besides the bowl to be eaten.

"I made it!" Megumi chirped happily.

Yahiro groaned and rolled over to go back to sleep.

"Yahiro!" Megumi scolded, "You have to eat whether you want to or not. You're too skinny for your own good anyways."

"I can't get up," Yahiro murmured.

Megumi blinked and then laughed. She proceeded to help Yahiro up, pressing her body against his to help him up. Even though Yahiro was already warm and hazy from the fever, his body managed to flush a light pink blush across his cheeks. This was the softness I felt in my dream, Yahiro thought dazedly as he felt the softness of her chest press into his. Yahiro lay against the backboard and remembered why he was up again. He stared agonizingly at the porridge.

Megumi patted the blankets down and put the tray on her lap. She took a spoonful of porridge and blew on it.

"I hope you'll like it," Megumi smiled and offered the spoon.

Yahiro stared at the spoon and glanced back at Megumi. "How about you eat it first?"

"I didn't poison it," Megumi replied curtly taking back her porridge, "But if you're going to be such a wuss about it, fine I will try it first!" Megumi blew on the spoon and took a large bite of it. At first Megumi looked like she was going to choke and spit out her food, but as soon as she was able to breathe again she swiftly swallowed her food and smiled at Yahiro.

Yahiro looked at Megumi and waited for a response. "So?"

Megumi took another spoon full of porridge and held it up. "It tastes great Yahiro! Now open up."

Yahiro stared at the spoon and hesitantly began to open his mouth. The smell of porridge filled the holes of his nose and he felt the warm goo travel onto his tongue. At first there was this weird taste but as more porridge went in his mouth, the better it started tasting. Yahiro swallowed and made a sigh of relief.

"See? I told you it was good!" Megumi said happily, she was proud of her ability to cook porridge for the first time.

"I'm happy to know that you are not that dense when it comes to the kitchen," Yahiro smiled.

Megumi's cheeks turned red and she furrowed her eyebrows, "What does that mean!?"

Yahiro chuckled and grabbed the bowl off Megumi's lap and began to feed himself.

Megumi sat on her chair and made the tiniest pout she could. He snatched the spoon right out of her hands and she wasn't able to react fast enough to prevent that. Megumi was kind of anticipating feeding Yahiro and seeing him in a feeble state.

As she watched Yahiro eat she couldn't help but think to herself, indirect-kiss, indirect-kiss! Megumi's cheeks tinted themselves pink a little and she tried to pretend that she was busy by doodling on her magic board.

A few minutes later Yahiro was finished and he took the medicine that Megumi had brought up.

"Why do you only have the liquid version of medicine?" Yahiro made a disgusted face as soon as he downed the bright red liquid.

"Well that is all we have right now and you were going to have to take it whether you liked it or not," Megumi replied, "Plus you're sick Yahiro, so I need you to get better."

"Megumi," Yahiro asked slightly irritated that she kept bringing up how sick he was, it made him sound weak, "I'm not that sick. I'm just tired."

Megumi took out a thermometer from her pocket and stuck it in Yahiro's mouth. She waited for a moment and then took it out. "100.4 degrees," Megumi read, "You're really ill."

"That thermometer is broken."

"Do you need anything else?" Megumi ignored his whining and smiled at him.

Yahiro grunted and lied back down on the bed. His head was getting hot again and he just wanted the world to stop spinning. "Sleep."

"Okay," Megumi responded and she sat back down next to the bed and helped re-tuck the sheets back. "Want me to sing you a lullaby again?" she whispered.

Yahiro was silent for a moment, considering if he really wanted Megumi to watch him sleep. But a song from her was too good to pass. "…Yes please," he murmured and closed his eyes.

Megumi smiled and began to sing softly.

So this is what it feels like to be taken care of so closely, Yahiro thought dazedly.

He was going to miss this. Yahiro knew deep down all along. He thought once more, Megumi was going to disappear from his life as soon as she left for Europe. Yahiro opened his eyes, for he tried to fall asleep to the lullaby but his mind wouldn't stop trying to desperately memorize each sound and word that came out of the brunette's sweet lips.

Megumi finished the last of the lullaby and opened her eyes, she expected a sleeping Yahiro. Instead she gasped a little to see him faced towards her and looking directly into her eyes. A pool of emotions swirled in his eyes and a deep look gazed into her.

"Y-Yahiro!" Megumi said, "Are you alright? Do you need some more medicine?"

"Megumi…" Yahiro barely said in an audible voice, "How long will you be gone for?"

Megumi blinked and felt her heart burn as Yahiro said those words so slow and left a tiny trail of loneliness form in her. "For," Megumi replied hesitantly, "For awhile…." Her parents pretty much had the idea to permanently keep her with them, how was she going to tell him that when she was beginning to feel pre-built up regret in her?

"Then…" Yahiro faltered as he looked down for a moment. His hand twitched and his mouth began to form words, but he closed his lips and looked up. He leaned forward and barely touched Megumi's small hands with his. Megumi's heart raced at the contact and her eyes replied back curiously and cautiously.

"Megumi," he said, "can you go with me to one more party?

"I," Megumi paused. She took Yahiro's hands and looked down, "I…can't go with you to this one." She carefully placed them back, "I'm sorry." She began to pull her hands away.

"I'll let you have whatever you want this time," Yahiro offered quickly and caught her hands before they reeled away completely. He looked deeply into her eyes, "Whatever you want this time, I'll fulfill it. Can you go with me to this last one?"

"I'm sorry Yahiro," Megumi whispered, "What I really want this time isn't something you can easily do." Megumi personally knew that if she went with him to this last party, she wouldn't be able to leave at all. Even though through these whole five years their relation has gone no where, the memories and times that they have had together Megumi knew that she would always remember them. She treasured the time that she had with her one-sided love. Going to this last party would throw her into emotional overflow and she knew that if she was going to leave for Europe she did not want the last thing to leave was tears and sadness.

"Why?" Yahiro tried to smirk; it was failing. "I am the great Saiga Yahiro, what is it that you want so much that I can't grant it? What is it that is making you refusing to go with me?" Yahiro began to cough, but he never faltered to look at Megumi.

Megumi smiled sadly and stood up from her chair. She took the blankets and began to cover them smugly over Yahiro's body. Once she was done she grabbed a fever patch and put it gently over Yahiro's forehead.

"I love you Yahiro," Megumi whispered, "It's been five years now and despite your awfulness I still love you Yahiro. I can't go with you this time because I'm being very selfish." She rubbed on the fever patch.

Yahiro's eyes opened widely and he could feel his heart racing fast this time. This time he could feel his heart reacting more vividly than the first time she confessed to him. It was alive, beating hard, and filling his soul with desire. His cheeks flushed with warmth and he could feel himself being more compelled as he heard the word 'love' to keep her by his side one more time before she left.

"It's fine if you feel selfish," Yahiro breathed, he gazed up at Megumi, "I don't care."

"I care!" Megumi replied, "It's not fine if I am selfish Yahiro, this time both of us will not be happy about what I want."

"How do you know if I'll be unhappy?"

"I am selfish because I want your love Yahiro." Megumi wistfully whispered in front of Yahiro. Her head was tilted downwards and her eyes were cast down to the floor. She trembled slightly as she felt the seriousness of her own words register into her head.

Yahiro's heart pounded and he started coughing hard this time. Megumi carefully let him lay back down on the pillow and she continued to smile at him with sorrow lacing her lips.

"Yahiro," Megumi slowly spoke, "I'm leaving in a few days. My parents are going back to Europe and they want me to go along with them as soon as possible."

Yahiro kept coughing and he couldn't manage to say one word.

In a few days… Yahiro thought. He felt a sorrowful pang in his heart as something in his head kept thinking this cannot end like this. This as in Megumi cannot just walk out on his life so soon. This as in the five year standing friend relationship had to find an end somehow, but a good end, a satisfying end.

Satisfying end? What was it that Yahiro wanted though? It wasn't love and it wasn't Megumi's sweet voice that he wanted to keep.

Megumi wetted the towel that lied beside the bed and she began wiping the sweat off of Yahiro's red face. "Yahiro…" Megumi mumbled worriedly as she felt his forehead grow hotter and hotter. She wetted the towel again and applied it to his heated head.

Yahiro's cough began to subside slowly as he could feel his lungs beginning to calm down and feel a sense of where he was as his forehead felt the vicious cool air be nice to him. He breathed heavily and Yahiro closed his eyes.

"Thank you Megumi," Yahiro was able to mutter out.

Megumi smiled as she continued her pattern of cooling Yahiro down, "What are friends for?"

Yahiro _opened his eyes to stare at her with forlorn residing in his mind_. He was starting to unlike the term just 'friends.' Which surprised him too for he was the one that used the word to describe them together.

"Megumi…" Yahiro mumbled.

Megumi tilted her head.

"I'll…miss you," muttered as softly as he could.

Megumi blushed and looked down quickly at the floor. Yahiro was being so open for the first time, and open in the kind way. Megumi didn't know how to respond, her face was hot enough as it is but her brain was overheating.

She quickly took a breath and started laughing lightly, "Yahiro you are really feverish aren't you? Do you need anything else?" Megumi turned her body to face the door. "You should probably sleep now, I mean even you said that you wanted sleep. Do you want another lulla--"

Yahiro caught Megumi's hand and tugged her closer to the bed. "Megumi."

Megumi stared at Yahiro with wide eyes and she couldn't stop herself from feeling tears well up in her eyes. Why was Yahiro being so sweet to her right now? It was making it harder for her to leave for Europe.

"Yahiro," Megumi spoke softly yet shaky, "are you not tired?"

He couldn't admit that he was afraid of closing his eyes and waking up to finding out that she was gone. Her hand spread more warmth to him than the fever and her presence made him feel more contented than he ever could than being near Akira.

"Megumi…" Yahiro breathed out. He gazed into Megumi's beautiful yet nervous eyes and assumed that his probably resembled almost the same emotions as hers.

He felt empty and cold without Megumi. He didn't have any friends beside the S.A. members and he barely ever saw his whole family together at once. He wondered on how he was able to keep living with such an uncommunicative life and how he was able to pass each day and still feel some kind of meaning in his life. She was always so indiscreetly a part of his life, and he never realized the importance of it until now. Yahiro frowned and leaned into Megumi's body, making his face unable to see to her. He wouldn't allow her to see his pitiful expression as he came to realize one thing he knew he wanted:

"I need you, please don't go off to Europe."

Megumi's heart pumped and her cheeks felt like they were on fire. Her eyes were wide open and her mouth was slightly agape. Her mind couldn't focus and she couldn't stop blinking. She was surprised and she couldn't even begin to believe reality at the moment. Was Yahiro trying to tell her to stay? Did the hope that she secretly stashed away to the very back of her mind come true? The tears that she had been holding for a little while now finally broke through her hold and drizzled down the side of her cheeks.

"You stupid jerk," Megumi sniffed, "do you really want me to go to that party that bad? How am I going to go to Europe now?" She was going to leave with sorrow and that was what she wanted to avoid!

Yahiro wrapped his arms around her tiny waist and pulled her close. His heart was pumping just as fast as he could feel hers. What was this feeling?

"Don't go to Europe then," Yahiro muttered. "Stay…here with me."

"I can't Yahiro," Megumi replied, trying to pull away, only sinking to the floor and shaking on her knees, "I'm selfish and I will want more from you if I stay with you."

"I'll try," Yahiro responded as he held Megumi tighter. He was hot and sweating from the fever, but he could feel his heart burning as he continued for his committed goal. "If I can keep you here, I'll try to fulfill your wish." He looked at her and gazed genuinely into her brown orbs.

"W-what?" Megumi stuttered embarrassingly, their faces were only inches away and she could feel Yahiro breathe heavily as the heat of his body began embracing her with warmth.

Yahiro did not understand love very well. His first crush and attempt at showing his love failed and turned its back on him. He couldn't understand the matters of the heart. He wasn't sure when his heart was beating hard if he was really tired or just lacking blood in his body. He wasn't sure when his heart raced if he was getting excited over something or if he just had heart problems. But the both crashed together and created a whole new feeling in his chest as he felt allured at the moment he pressed his lips warmly onto Megumi's lips.

He withdrew slowly and nervously to look at Megumi once more to search for an answer on her stay.

Megumi's ears were flushed red and she looked as if she was sweating herself. Her tears had long stopped flowing and she returned a frazzled look back at Yahiro.

"I don't understand these things very well," Yahiro said as he gently gripped her shoulders, "but I'll try, so Megumi, please stay with me."

Megumi blinked and looked away in embarrassment. Was this a confession or was this just Yahiro being obscenely weird? Either way, Megumi couldn't deny that she was feeling incredulously happy. Perhaps working to achieve the love of her objection for five years had it's gift too. She couldn't believe it, but maybe Saiga Yahiro was able to love and all he needed was some time.

Yahiro on the other hand was nervous and found himself not being able to let go of Megumi. He couldn't tear his eyes away from her and he felt like as if he was standing on the edge of the world, waiting for sweet words from the one in front of him.

"Can I ask for another exchange if I go to the party with you?" Megumi asked with a tiny voice.

Yahiro tilted his head and smirked once more, except this time he had a light visible line of blush across his cheeks, "Only if that means you stop overstuffing yourself at those parties."

Megumi slightly pouted and completely ignored Yahiro's last comment. Even though he seemed to be sick, his teasing was still quite alive and healthy in Megumi's opinion.

"So what is it?" Yahiro asked.

"Don't keep your feelings hidden away from the world," Megumi whispered quietly and put a hand gently to his face. "If you are ever lonely, then say it. If you ever feel sad, then tell me."

Yahiro blushed and his breathing paused for a moment in his throat as he felt his insides fill up with warmth. Megumi was caring and sweet, how did she ever fall for such a stonehearted guy like him? Yahiro reached for her hand and held it tightly and then leaned in.

He buried his face in her neck. His nose inhaled the sweet scent buried in her hair and he sighed out in content. Sleep was overtaking him whether he wanted it or not and he had to assure himself. "If I went to sleep right now, you will still be here when I wake up right?" Yahiro mumbled faintly.

Megumi smiled and stroked through Yahiro's soft lavender hair. At last after five years she could feel her tiny love start to grow into a tiny hopeful bud. With some more time, water, and sun that bud will one day become into a blossoming beautiful flower. Little bit at a time though, Megumi believed that their relationship could become more than she can imagine.

Megumi began humming a song again, this time a new song that she had preserved in her mind for a while. She confidently yet timidly sang her hopeful melody in a sweet voice and felt the young heir on her growing heavier, deeper into slumber.

"Megumi," Yahiro quietly murmured, shifting in his position to make a comfier spot, "You're so tiny"

Megumi swiftly took a pillow and decked the infuriating lavender haired man on the head.

Yahiro laughed, unaffected by the harmless pillow, and wrapped his arms around Megumi's waist, and unknowingly to his mind, he smiled peacefully at the present warmth that engulfed him.

It may have taken a long time to get to this point and even seemed almost even unreal. But it happened, and even though it will take even longer to get to the next stage of this relationship, it will happen too. Small touches were a good start, Megumi thought, and I wouldn't want it to begin in any other way. Having Yahiro by her side was more than she needed. Megumi smiled and dozed off together with the sleeping heir, basking in the warm afternoon sun that allured her to close her eyes, relax and enjoy her well-earned time of peace.

Megumi was closer to him than most, and presently she was the closest to his heart, a satisfying place to be.

* * *

**Yay you finished it! Congratulations! So? So? How did you like it?? Too cheesy? Way-awesome? Or 'awww more!!!'? I am coughing so much right now D: some stupid person decided, "oh! I think I will go to school today and infect EVERYONE around me!" Well it's okay...because I have been doing that too, eheheheh.**


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